Redemption
by Mitts
Summary: The long awaited sequel to Break Down. Readers please be aware that later chapters contain yaoi. Credit for my book cover belongs to mmm.mittens, a reader of mine, who gifted me the art.
1. Chapter 1

REDEMPTION

Chapter 1

The roaring engine of a powerful motorcycle was the only sound to be heard in the still of the night, as the lone black clad rider drove precariously and recklessly at high speed through the dark. The single headlamp of the hurtling machine revealed the twisting path along the dusty desert road, with the small light precariously illuminating only a little way ahead. Occasionally the speeding tyres would bump over loose pebbles and stones, sending them skittering off sideways, or casting them backwards, far away from their original positions.

Cloud kept his head lowered, with his riding goggles down over his eyes as he peered intently into the blackness before him, trying to safely navigate his way. He didn't care about what lay ahead. He didn't care about what he'd left behind. All he knew was… he had to try and go fast enough, far enough, to eradicate the torment that raged within him.

X-x-X-x-X-x-X

"Okay, time now. Come on you guys, the bar's closed. Drink up, fold up, and get the hell out. Go home to your wives and families!"

The young dark haired girl sighed after barking out her command. She wondered sometimes why she even bothered. Night after night it was the same old story of trying to get the punters to finish off their drinks and their card games, and just vacate the premises. It was late, and as always there was so much work to do before she could crash out in her own bed; glasses to be gathered and washed, tables to be wiped and cleaned, floors to be swept and polished, and overfilled ashtrays to be emptied. The toilets that the public used could wait until morning, as Tifa didn't think she had the stomach for it tonight. For some reason, she felt so tired. Tired of everything. It was almost as though her life was going nowhere, and the thought of spending forever doing these same tasks, day in and day out, left her asking if it were all worth it.

It had seemed such a good idea to invest in the building and start up her own business. The small town had been crying out for a tavern, a local meeting point where folk could come and drink and chat after a hard day's work. And the opening of the Seventh Heaven had proven to be a hit. But what Tifa had failed to realise, was just how hard_ her_ work was going to be; ordering, pick-ups, cleaning and serving. The chores seemed never ending some days. She'd had some help from a few friends that had rallied around in the beginning, becoming part-time bar staff and doormen with the reward of free drinks after their shifts, but now that business was blooming more, Tifa realised that she seriously needed to think about employing someone to help her on a permanent basis.

Once the last of the customers had been shooed out of the door, Tifa reluctantly put sleep on hold for another few minutes and reached under the bar for the taverns ledger. Sitting down at one of the glass cluttered tables with the book, she spent some time going through all the figures and at the end of it she reckoned she could afford to take on someone for a few hours each week. The pay wouldn't be great but then, the job she was paying for hardly required brains or brawn.

Standing up she went to her private quarters and, from a cabinet beside her bed, she pulled out some bright orange paper, a black marker pen, and a staple gun. Placing the items on top of the cabinet, she wrote upon the paper in large, bold letters, 'Help Wanted'.

Tapping the end of the pen against her front teeth, Tifa pondered what else to write. The pay wasn't really good enough to advertise, and neither were the working hours. And the tasks, though small, would be many. She needed someone to empty the slops from the liquid overflow trays, to wipe the floors and tables after all the customers had left, to collect and clean the used glasses... and to clean the toilets. Mainly, she just required someone to assist her after closing time so that she could get to bed earlier, and wake up later. Sighing, looking at the lateness of the hour on the ticking bedside clock, Tifa added simply beneath the first two words, 'Apply Within'.

Laying down the pen and taking the piece of brightly coloured paper, Tifa grabbed her staple gun and walked out of her room and towards the main front door. Opening it, she proceeded to pin the note to the wooden planks. Hopefully someone would see it come morning, and by tomorrow night she'd be in bed that much earlier.

Going back inside, she locked the door and began collecting all the dirty glasses and ashtrays, giving them just a quick swill. Tomorrow, after she woke, she would wash them properly. She just couldn't be bothered tonight.

Turning out the lights, Tifa made her way tiredly back up to her bedroom, where she looked at the empty bed and thought of Trey, her boy-friend, and his lean muscular body that sometimes lay there with her. She wished he didn't have to spend so much time away from her. Several months could pass with him being absent from her arms. But she understood the importance of him, 'needing space'. Or so she said to him. Undressing now, and huddling up in the cold lonely sheets, she wasn't so sure anymore.

X-x-X-x-X-x-X

The morning dawned sunny and new, and Tifa awoke with a stretch and a yawn. Getting up, showering and dressing, she unlocked the main door and started on with her daily routine. She had all but forgotten about the sign she'd put out the night before… until the door flew open and a handsome blond youth, dressed all in black, walked through.

In the middle of restacking the glasses that would be filled with drinks later that night, Tifa had immediately turned around at the intrusion, and her deep brown eyes raked the newcomer from head to toe as he approached the bar. She was immediately taken with his looks; tall, slim, and stunningly attractive. She found her heart skipping a beat. In her mind, for just the briefest of moments, she imagined both of them naked, sweating, and rolling on her bed in the dead of night, their limbs entwined in passion.

The heel of his boots clunking on the wooden floorboards as he made his way closer across the room towards her brought Tifa's wayward thoughts back. "We're not open yet," she said, her voice a little brusque as she tried to cover up her sexual interest in him. And, to make sure he didn't see the lust on her face, she turned her back to him and focused on arranging the glasses in size order… something she had stopped doing just a few days after buying the place. But the sound of his hand slapping down upon the bar top caused her to glance back over her shoulder.

"Job's filled," the young man said.

Tifa stared down, and saw his gloved fingers covering the orange sign. The paper was ripped at the corners where he had pulled it from the door. "You seem rather sure of yourself," she commented dryly, looking now into blue eyes that seemed to have the power to hold her gaze.

"Not really," he replied stoically. "You have a situation vacant. I need a job. Put the two together, and we're both happy."

"You don't even know what the job entails," Tifa exclaimed, waiting impatiently for him to talk again, as his voice had sent shivers running up and down her spine. She didn't have to wait long for more shivers to begin.

"I don't much care what it is I have to do," the man said quietly after a small pause. "I'm pretty flexible. Can do most things. Heavy lifting. Maintenance…."

"You'll be cleaning out public latrines and mopping floors, as part of your duties," Tifa cut in. It was better she told him what sort of work was involved right at the beginning of their discussion, that way he could turn around and leave now, rather than draw it out, and she could spend the rest of the day daydreaming of, 'What ifs'.

There was a longer pause from the stranger, and then, "Okay. Cleaning toilets and mopping floors. Anything else?"

Tifa looked surprised. She had truly thought he would flatly refuse such chores. "Well, there'll be glasses to clean, tables to wipe. Basically, anything I can find to make life a little easier for myself at the end of the working day."

"So, you'd require me to work on the evenings then, right?" he asked.

"Is that a problem?" Tifa asked back, feeling him slipping out of her clutches.

"Nope. No problem," the blond answered.

Tifa narrowed her eyes. "Hey… if you're already employed somewhere else, I don't want you showing up late. It may be a crummy job I'm offering, but I want whoever I employ to take it seriou…."

"I'll take it. And no, I don't have any other job," he interjected, his eyes boring into hers. "I'll be yours. One hundred percent."

Tifa had to make several small swallows before she could get her voice to work. "Right then, name?" she asked, quickly reaching for the little notebook and pencil she always kept by the cash register. He hesitated, and when he answered, she felt sure he'd given her a bogus name. "Cloud huh?" she said sardonically. "O…k. If that's what you want to be known as. Address?" When he remained silent she looked up from her notepad to see him staring intently at her, and almost jumped a little when he touched at the notepad with his forefinger, jabbing at the name she'd just written down.

"That's 'Cloud' with a capital letter, 'C'," he corrected her. "And, 'Strife' has an 'r' in it."

_What does it matter_? Tifa thought to herself. _It's not like it's your real name._ Nonetheless, she used the eraser at the end of the pencil to scrub out the mistakes he'd said she'd made, and corrected the errors. "Address?" she repeated. Again he hesitated. And when Tifa lifted her gaze up from the notepad for a second time, she saw the worried look on his face. "Is there a problem?" she asked. "Have you forgotten how to spell the name of the place where you live?"

A sheepish boyish look graced his face, and Tifa suddenly felt bad for her jibe, even more so when he lifted a hand behind his head and admitted ruefully as he rubbed at his unusual spikey hair, "No, it's just… I don't have an address, unless you call sleeping up against the warm engine of my motorcycle at night, one."

"You have a motorcycle?" Tifa inquired excitedly. Having one of her own was something she was saving up for. The blond nodded. "Can I see it? Will you take me for a ride?"

"Can I have the job?"

Tifa quirked an eyebrow. "Are you blackmailing me?"

"Of course not. I'm just saying that, if you don't want me to have the job because I have no address, then I won't have time to take anyone anywhere, because I'll have to move on to the next town and hope to find work there," the man replied calmly.

Sucking on the end of the pencil, Tifa regarded him for a moment. Then, bending her head, she wrote in the notepad, _Seventh Heaven._ "There, now you have an address… Cloud," she stated, with a shy grin at using his chosen alias for the first time.

"I do?"

Reaching down underneath the bar, Tifa opened a drawer and pulled out a small bronze key, passing it across to him. "Welcome to your new job, and your new home. Here, let me show you to your room. It's just up over the stairs, on the first floor. Two doors away from mine," she emphasised, leading the way. "It's only a little box room, I'm afraid. But it's clean, and it's warm."

"What about my bike?" Cloud asked.

"What about your bike? It's not staying in the room with you! It can stay out in the back courtyard. I have a shed out there that you can store and lock it in. I'm sure it won't mind being parted from you during the hours that you sleep," Tifa replied with a laugh.

Cloud gave a low chuckle, liking the girl's sense of humour. "Thanks," he said.

Passing one closed door, Tifa explained it was their private bathroom, and instructed it be kept clean at all times, and then she nodded to the next closed door, indicating he was to use the key. "So, you think you'll be alright in here?" she asked, watching as he unlocked the door and went inside the room. Standing in the small space, his slim well-built body seemed to take up the whole area with his presence. Tifa cast a jealous look at the narrow single bed, thinking how lucky it was going to be having this handsome man laying upon it. "I'll get you some fresh bedding," she said, dragging her mind away from lustful thoughts before they started pulling her further in. "Will you be okay to start work tonight, say about, eleven thirty?"

"Yep," was his reply, leaving Tifa to guess if it was an answer to her first question, her second, or both.

As Tifa left the room to get the promised bedding, she thought about her on-off lover and found herself beginning to hope that, finally, he might be replaced with someone a little more permanent… and closer to home.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Several days had passed, and Tifa seemed happier in spirit and brighter in mood. And the change in her demeanour brought about a question from one of her close friends.

"Anything to do with the new boy?" Sophie enquired teasingly.

Tifa felt her face redden. She was out shopping in the markets, and she had been telling Sophie all about Cloud; of how he made her life easier with the work that he did in the tavern, how he had volunteered to collect unpaid tabs from late paying customers, and had also offered to deliver small packages for her. In fact, thinking about it, the blond boy appeared to have been the favourite topic of all her conversations with others lately. She didn't _think_ she'd been too overboard in her enthusiasm for him but… "He's really good," Tifa answered in response to Sophie's friendly jibe. "Fast and efficient."

"I bet he is. So, now we know what he's like in the bedroom, what's he like at his job?" Sophie giggled, being rewarded with a small playful slap to her arm.

"I was talking about him doing his job!" Tifa chastised, not really angry at all with her friend. They were always bantering with one another in this fashion, joshing with each other over clothing, hair styles, and boyfriends. Picking up an apple from a stall, Tifa rubbed it on her sleeve, turning the fruit to see if it had any bruises. "I have yet to discover his bedroom skills," she admitted, paying for the apple, and half a dozen others with it.

"You've let him stay under your roof with you, alone at night, and you've yet to have him jump your bones?" Sophie asked in amazement, watching as Tifa carefully stowed her new purchase in her shoulder sack. "What is wrong with you? Are you losing your touch? Haven't you jiggled those melons in front of him?" Tifa cast her friend a reproachful look, but that didn't stop Sophie. "You know you can have any man you want by just doing a little bunny hop in front of him. Heck, you can have any man you want even without the bunny hop," Sophie chortled. Then, more sombrely she added, "You don't think he, you know, prefers the other team?"

"Men? No!" Tifa laughed. "Does he look gay to you?" she asked as she stopped in front of another stall to check out the wares on offer, moving on when they didn't pass her inspection.

Shopping in this section of Midgar was always a busy event. It seemed everyone was up and about early. Most, like Tifa, were eager to get the job of shopping out of the way so the rest of the day could be enjoyed. Others just wanted to get their shopping done in the cool of the dawn, to avoid the full heat of the sun as the day wore on.

"Seriously though, he never flirts with anybody," Tifa told Sophie, stepping backwards into her friend to avoid being trampled by an overly large lady who was bustling through the narrow aisle like she owned the place. "And," she added as an afterthought, her voice sounding wistful, "he never laughs or smiles. Not once, since he's been working for me, have I seen his mouth break into a full on grin. He has such pretty lips too… it's a shame not to see them curled upwards."

"I'd say it's time for you to make your move on him, you seem besotted," Sophie answered, while giving the finger to the retreating back of the large woman who had pushed past so rudely.

Tifa yanked her friend's hand down, shaking her head and laughing. "I'm not sure about him though. There's something not quite right."

"He's handsome," Sophie argued, violently elbowing her way through a mass of packed bodies that prevented her and Tifa from getting to the front of the next stall, which was selling breads and cakes and pastries.

"Devilishly handsome," Tifa agreed, her dark eyes flashing for a moment, betraying just how much she did like her new blond boarder. "He doesn't say much, won't speak about his life. It's almost like, he has things to hide."

"Don't we all?" Sophie exclaimed, her fingers reaching out and grabbing at one of the last few loaves that the baker had left to sell. "Here," she said passing it to Tifa. "At least you can try tempting your new lodger into talking by inviting him to eat with you tonight," she said, paying for the bread before forcing her way back out of the throng of people and beginning to walk along the less packed sections of the street.

"He's just so quiet, and comes across as being shy," Tifa continued, adding the latest acquisition to her carry sack. "And, I don't want to scare him off by coming on too strong. He seems different somehow to other men. He never toys with me. He never tries it on, like an accidental slip of his hand against my breasts followed by a half-hearted apology. He always talks to me respectfully, like I'm a lady. And he opens doors for me, and holds out chairs. I… I like it," Tifa admitted with a giggle.

"He sounds like quite the perfect gentleman. You have got to let me know what he's like between the sheets when you finally get together. I bet he's a beast," Sophie teased, laughing.

"Who says we're going to do it for the first time in a bed?" Tifa replied with a smile. "For all you know, I might ravish him in the yard behind the rear of the Seventh, under the soft moonlight. Or I could join him as he bathes in the shower. Or I might just abuse his body in the cellar as he changes the beer kegs over."

"Ooh, someone _has_ been thinking a lot about her new worker," Sophie remarked, her mouth creased into a broad grin. "I wonder though, just how he would make love to you," she added, with a mischievous wink.

Tifa cast a glance at her friend, wondering what she was talking about.

"Would he use that quiet tongue of his, to make you scream with passion? Would he work his agile fingers in you, to make you slippery? Would he move his toned naked body over the top of yours with his smooth skin sliding like velvet against your nipples? Would he align his rigid cock up with your moist hole and push in gently, making you aware of him inch…by….inch? Or would he take you selfishly and fast while his mouth closed down over yours, his throat swallowing your cries of pleasure as his hips pumped ceaselessly against you?"

Biting at her lower lip, imagining Cloud's kisses and caresses just the way Sophie described them, Tifa's eyes glazed over with the stirrings of lust and she begged her friend, "Oh stop it, please! Otherwise I'll make a spectacle of myself right here in front of all these people."

Sophie laughed at the pink cheeked girl but did as Tifa requested, and turned her conversation instead to the owner of the stall which they were currently stood by. "I swear your stock is out of date," she argued with the man, picking up a small mesh bag of peaches, debating with him that the fruit was unfit to eat and bartering with him until she had gotten the held fruit a little cheaper. With a satisfied smile, she added them to her basket. Then, changing the subject a little she asked of Tifa as they moved on, "Any word yet from your errant lover?"

Tifa shook her head in a dejected fashion. "He normally gets in touch by now, just to let me know where he is…"

"Or who he's with," Sophie interjected with a displeased look on her face.

Ignoring her friend's comment, and look, Tifa continued, "But no, nothing. He didn't even say goodbye this time either, which is strange as well."

"If it makes you feel any better, you're not the only one who's got a missing boyfriend," Sophie said, leaning in towards the dark haired girl and whispering conspiratorially, "I've heard the mayor's daughter has been abandoned too, just days before her wedding. And remember Annabel? I'm sure you do, she was the one with the buck teeth and the bright red hair when she was small, and we use to call her Red Bunny. Haha, now you remember her! Seems her beloved has left for pastures new also, without a word to anyone. People are saying her father has a bounty out on his head as she is... you know…"

Tifa couldn't help but smile as Sophie did an over dramatic impression of an enlarged belly with her hands. "The poor girl," she said in response to the news. "At least I don't have that problem."

Not wanting Tifa to become glum, Sophie moved the topic back to a subject she knew would be welcome. "So, what does Cloud do in his spare time?"

"I have no idea," Tifa answered as she followed her friend. "When he's not working he's in his room, sleeping I suppose. Other than that he's usually in the yard tinkering with his motorbike, or else he's riding the machine somewhere, for hours at a time. Sometimes he's gone almost all night, not coming back until the early hours of the morning."

"And you don't know where he goes, or who he might be seeing?" Sophie asked. Tifa shook her head. "Aren't you even a little bit curious? He could be seeing another girl for all you know. Why don't you use your womanly wiles on him and learn what you're obviously desperate to find out; if he's a good shag," Sophie urged playfully.

"I… I couldn't!" Tifa exclaimed, seemingly appalled by her friends suggestion. But inside her mind, the seed of Cloud's seduction had been planted.

And Sophie grinned impishly.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The Seventh Heaven was quiet now, with all the patrons having been finally ushered out of the door and sent back to their own homes. Tifa lifted a newly cleaned glass up to the light and looked at it. Then, lowering it towards her face, she brought it up close to her mouth and huffed on it before rubbing it clean again with the cloth.

Cloud, in the process of wiping down table tops, stopped what he was doing and stared at her actions as if mesmerized. In his mind, he was recalling a time when he himself had performed the same cleaning duty for… someone else.

Noticing that the boy was watching, Tifa smiled at him, thinking the look he was casting in her direction meant he was interested in her. She smiled even more when he realised he'd been caught and quickly lowered his head getting back to his task again, because she had seen his face flush red and surmised it was with shyness and embarrassment, and Tifa graciously decided to try and put him at his ease. "You're doing a fantastic job here, you know," she complimented, replacing the last of the cleaned glasses ready for when the tavern reopened. "I don't think my floors have ever been so spotless. I noticed you even washed the windows today. You didn't have to do them, you know," she said, coming out from behind the bar and strolling casually towards him.

The blond just shrugged, and continued wiping the spilt beer covered table surfaces. "They needed doing," he said simply, shifting away a little as Tifa came and stood by his side.

Tifa's brow furrowed. It had been an instinctive move on Cloud's part, she thought, him stepping away from her, almost as if he'd thought that if she had touched him, he would have been burnt. She tilted her face a fraction, and one eyebrow quirked up. Can he still be a virgin? she asked herself. That would make him too perfect. And it would certainly explain why he didn't ever make passes at her. But surely, she silently argued, no-one as good looking as he was could have refrained from sex this long. Tifa decided she had to find out. "You never speak about yourself, Cloud," she said softly, running a fingertip over his finished work, staring after him as he ambled over to the next table.

"Nothing to tell," he answered, not looking at the girl, instead concentrating on dipping the sponge he was using into a bowl of warm water, before using it to attack the stains left behind from the dirty glasses.

"Do you have family?" Tifa pressed. "Are your parents still alive? Have you any brothers or sisters? A lover maybe?" It was clear from the frigid stance, and the long brooding silence that Cloud gave in response to her questions, that he didn't want to talk about his past, so Tifa changed tactics. Keeping her voice on an even level, still watching him as he continued to toil, she said, "You spend a long time out riding your motorcycle. Where do you go? Are you driving all that time, or are you stopping off somewhere, perhaps to… see someone?"

"Why all the questions about my personal life and what I do? It's none of your business. You don't pay me for giving such information, you pay me just to work," Cloud rebuked, turning his head to look at Tifa and glaring at her for a moment before returning to his task.

Not one to be put off by a rebuttal, Tifa shimmied over to him and, taking out a second sponge from the bowl of water he was using, she began to wash the table adjacent to his. Then in an attempt to try and get him out of his frosty mood, she began to converse of simple everyday things, ending with, "And everyone is talking about the new power plant which is being constructed near Niblehelm. Some folks are saying that Shin-Ra's elite general, Sephiroth, is going to be in charge of overseeing things there."

"Yeah, I know," Cloud replied nonchalantly.

"Oh really, who told you?" Tifa asked, being careful to keep her tone light and not too inquisitive.

"No-one, I… stopped to watch its construction whilst dropping off leaflets a few times," Cloud hedged. "Guessed with it being such a large project, someone like him would be appointed to ensure its development went ahead without a hitch."

Tifa knew he was hiding something. The areas that she'd had him deliver leaflets, advertising her tavern to interest new customers, weren't anywhere near the power plant. But she wasn't going to press him about it. Not just yet. "I think you missed a bit," she observed wryly, dipping her sponge and wringing it out, moving across to the same table he was working on.

Cloud lifted his head a little and looked at her through his long blond lashes. He didn't shift away from her this time, not even when she moved up close to him and 'accidentally' brushed her hip against his, though his hand did stop its washing motion as he felt a thrill of excitement shoot though him. Was this girl coming on to him? He wasn't going to object if she was. He'd not had sex in so long, and there was someone he desperately needed to eradicate from his mind, someone who had been occupying far too many of his private thoughts lately. Cloud reasoned that he could use this girl, and her body, in order to do that. He'd had women before. Not many it was true, but enough for him to know his way around a female form. He understood what they liked, had discovered which area to linger his mouth upon. He wouldn't exactly call himself talented with the ladies, but he was sure that he knew enough to be able to keep this woman satisfied.

Any doubts Cloud might have had about Tifa's intentions were dismissed the moment her soap-sudded palm came into contact with him, her fingers closing over the top of his and prising away the wet sponge he held, tossing it carelessly back into the bowl before taking hold of his fingers once more. Watching her face intently, Cloud didn't resist as she raised both of their now linked hands towards one of her large breasts. Nor did he protest as she pushed the flat of his hand up underneath her top and pressed it firmly against the swell of her bosom.

Tifa felt her heart pounding inside her as she made her brazen move. He hadn't rejected her… yet. Licking at lips which had suddenly gone dry, she removed her hand from his and waited a moment to see what he would do, her dark brown eyes locked onto his deep blue ones. When he continued to hold her, she slowly, carefully, stripped herself out of her upper garment, pulling her arms free of the short sleeves first before lifting up the back and sliding it over her head, letting the discarded item hang suspended off Cloud's arm, the material hanging down over the wrist of his hand that was still attached to her naked breast.

Cloud's gaze was no longer on the girl's face. His focus was now solely fixed on the bare flesh his fingers touched upon, and the protruding nipple that was crying out for attention. He brushed his thumb up against the extended nub and, hearing Tifa give a soft gasp of pleasure, he lowered his head and claimed the tender morsel with his teeth, latching onto it and replacing his brushing thumb with his caressing tongue. He sucked and teased at the tender skin with small bites, and was rewarded by her arching spine, effectively pushing forwards and offering herself to him. And Cloud wasn't going to refuse the offer.

Feeling his cock start to harden, Cloud relinquished his mouth upon her and, after shaking Tifa's tee-shirt free from his arm, he lifted her up and placed her so that she sat just on the edge of the table, her legs spread either side of him. Moving back a step, he began to run his hands along the outside of her lean thighs, working his way up and under her tight little skirt until his fingers found the waistband of her panties. Hooking his fingertips beneath the elasticated edge, he slowly pulled her underwear down over her knees and off her ankles, letting them drop unceremoniously on the floor at his feet.

Tifa was exposed and open to Cloud now, and she felt herself blushing as the boy in front of her took his time in looking at her intimate feminine form. She began to close her legs, shutting her knees together under his close scrutiny, but he stopped her, using a forearm to gently push her legs apart again. And the suspicions that she'd had, regarding him being pure and unknowing in sexual play, were blown away when he bent his head down and began to lick with practised ease at the wetting valley between her legs.

Biting on a knuckle, Tifa threw back her head and closed her eyes as she felt the lapping of his tongue against her sensitized flesh. It seemed like her whole body was coming alive, tingling, a heat growing within her that seemed to radiate and pulse in time with Cloud's oral administration. Clamping down hard on a finger to stifle her small excited cries, she used her free hand to cling onto his shoulder for support as she felt her hips rising of their own accord. She was slowly thrusting upwards, wanting his questing, wet tongue to penetrate deeper, to seek further inside of her. He obliged, and Tifa panted, spreading her legs as wide as she could, giving him all the access he needed.

When Cloud moved backwards and stood up, Tifa felt a momentary sense of loss and she yearned for him to dip his head again and continue supping from her. But instead of doing that, he pushed her gently until she was lying flat on the table. Automatically lifting her legs in time with his motion, Tifa locked her lower limbs around his waist and drew him in close, her arms wrapping themselves around his neck and shoulders as he leaned low over her and began kissing her passionately, letting her taste herself on his tongue.

While their mouths were united, Tifa laced her hands through his blond locks, and was surprised to discover the spikes of hair folding easily to his scalp as she moved her fingers over his head. She had expected it to feel stiff with hair products, but his tresses were soft and supple, and obviously naturally spiked up in that crazy way. This quirk of his made her desire him even more, for its unusualness. He was different. He was special. And he was… needed.

Cloud's fingers were not idle either. Still kissing Tifa ardently, he had one hand upon a large breast, kneading, squeezing, and tweaking, while the other was exploring the inner heat of her moistened passageway. First one finger, and then another, slid in and out of the girl, her lubricating juices making the pumping action of Cloud's advance easy. And, encouraged by her unchecked yelps of desire, he pushed his fingers in deeply as he pressed his hips up hard against her, letting her feel the erection that was yearning to be freed, and wondering if she wanted full sex, or just foreplay.

"Upstairs," Tifa breathed heavily, as electricity sparked throughout her entire body at his touch. It really wouldn't do to have people possibly passing the windows and seeing what was going on in the bar-room of the tavern, she told herself. Not that she really cared at this moment whether or not anyone actually saw them together, because she was rapidly losing control over her sanity and sensibilities, but while she could still muster up enough decorum to give them privacy, she would.

Acknowledging that the girl wanted to move on to the next stage of their sexual relationship in the comfort of a bed, Cloud easily picked her up in his arms and carried her to her room, kicking the door shut behind them.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Cloud awoke to find himself alone in the bed. His bleary eyes drifted slowly around the girl's sunlit bedroom, looking at the small ornaments she had on top of her dresser and the portraits which hung upon the walls. It didn't appear that she collected random curios as dust collectors, so he assumed that the porcelain pieces and the pictures meant something to her, as there were so few of them.

He stretched and yawned, his body feeling relaxed and sated. Sex with the girl had been better than he imagined, and he had come more than once before sleep overtook them both. She had been an enthusiastic partner, more than willing to climb on top and ride him, and equally as eager to lay back with her legs spread wide while he ploughed her as hard and as fast as he could. Cloud smiled a little as his memories of the night evoked another erection. He fisted a hand around his aroused cock and pumped a few times, but it didn't seem right to come in Tifa's bed without her being there, so he made himself leave the warmth of the sheets and headed towards the bathroom, where he pleasured himself under the running water of the shower.

Turning off the taps and grabbing a towel, Cloud wrapped the small piece of absorbent cloth around his body and returned first to the girl's bedroom to gather up his scattered clothes, and then to his own room to dry himself off and dress. His stomach was making early morning grumbling noises and he realised that, for once, he actually looked forward to eating something, even more so as he headed out towards the stairs and the smell of cooked bacon wafted upwards. He sniffed appreciatively, hoping that the girl had made enough for two.

Tifa turned away from the oven with a beaming grin on her face as the door to the kitchen was pushed open. There could only be one person coming in through it, and she was ready for him. "Eggs, sunny side up, ok with you?" she asked, holding a plate in her hand which held several rashers of bacon. At his nod, Tifa turned back to the oven and deftly flicked the cooked eggs onto the plate to join the meat. "Cheese and bread are there on the table ready to be sliced, and I've brewed some coffee," she said, placing the food in front of him as he took a seat. "Oh and…." With a small dramatic flourish she set down another plate, which held a stack of freshly made pancakes.

"Wow," was all Cloud could say. He couldn't remember a time when he had felt so… spoilt. His nose took in the appetising odour of the bacon, his eyes looked longingly at the big stack of fluffy pancakes just waiting to be oozed with syrup, and his mouth watered in anticipation of the first taste of his breakfast. Only manners kept him from scoffing the food down, politely waiting until the girl had sat and taken a mouthful of her own meal. Then, picking up his knife and fork, Cloud tucked in and ate heartily.

It delighted Tifa to watch him eating with such gusto. She loved to cook, but never found it worthwhile doing so when it was just for her. And Trey was never home long enough to show off her culinary skills to. Even when she did get a chance to place a hot meal before him, he would show no more gratitude than if she had just made him a simple sandwich. To have someone now to make food for, and to see that person enjoying every single mouthful, made her feel good inside. And the happy feeling, coupled with the satisfied mood she'd had since spending the night with Cloud, gave her the sensation of floating on air. She found it hard to keep her gaze off him, her eyes continuously lifting upwards as she tried to discreetly peek at him. She seemed mesmerized by the travel of the cutlery to his lips, and found herself studying his mouth, blushing a little when she saw the tip of his tongue dart out to lick at his knife, recalling the intense pleasure that tongue had brought her just hours before.

"Not hungry?"

Cloud's voice cut into Tifa's thoughts, and when she looked at him in question he pointed with his fork at her plate. Looking down she realised that, whilst he had finished all the food on his, hers was still almost full. "Oh, I'm always a slow eater," she bluffed, quickly turning her attention to her breakfast, and hoping he hadn't noticed her reddening cheeks.

Swallowing the last of his coffee, Cloud stood up and started to gather the dirty dishes, leaving Tifa to continue her meal. The girl immediately began to tell him not to bother, saying that she would do it once she had finished eating, but Cloud simply carried on towards the sink saying lightly, "It's okay, your china is safe with me. I know how to wash-up properly. And besides, you cooked so it's only fair that I clean."

Tifa smiled at his words and actions. Could he be any more wonderful, she asked herself as she chewed some bread. In her mind, this handsome young man was starting to replace Trey. He had already taken her boyfriend's place in her bed, proving more than satisfactory there. Now Tifa found herself comparing the two men in other ways, and her absent lover always seemed to come off worse against the blond lodger.

While she ate, Tifa allowed her mind to wander off into a possible future, where she saw her and Cloud as being the, 'perfect couple'. Perhaps one day she would be asking Sophie to attend as her bridesmaid. Tifa had to suppress a giggle at that thought. Sophie would know, as soon as she saw her that she'd had sex with the hired help, and knowing Sophie it wouldn't take her long to wangle out all the details about the night of passion. Feeling arousal build inside at just the recollection of the sexual liaison, Tifa forced herself to her feet and, grabbing a clean cloth, she began to dry and put away the freshly washed items, hoping this action would calm down her growing lust, and hide from the boy just how much she wanted him again.

Cloud walked over to the table and fetched Tifa's plate, returning to the sink with it and staring as the girl bent down low to place a saucepan in a cupboard. He couldn't help looking to see how high the back hem of her skirt would raise, and he felt a temptation to spank her bottom, but wasn't sure if that would be well received. Tifa had made no mention of his sleeping with her, and a part of him wondered if he would be dismissed from his job because he had over stepped the 'manager/ employee' boundary. Did she feel embarrassed about what they had done, he wondered as he dropped the plate into the washing-up water. Was she now going to be uncomfortable around him, and want him to leave? He thought it might be best to jump, before being pushed. But just as Cloud opened his mouth to offer his resignation, Tifa choose that moment to turn around, and she found herself practically face to face with him. For a second or two neither of them spoke, and then in the next instant they were kissing ardently.

It was Tifa who broke from the kiss first, panting, her heart thumping. She had secretly feared the boy might not want her a second day, but he was making it quite plain to her that he did indeed want more, his released mouth now at the side of her neck, biting, sucking and nibbling gently against the skin on her throat, while his hands groped under her clothes at her large breasts. Tifa let the small tea-towel drop to the floor as she lifted her own hands to his head, and her fingers began playing in the long blond spikey tresses. "How come your hair is set like that?" she asked, her voice low and sultry.

"I don't know. It's always been this way," Cloud replied, giving a small shrug of his shoulders. "Some people like it, others hate it. I simply learned to live with it."

"I think it's beautiful," Tifa said coyly.

"Thank you," Cloud replied, before reclaiming the girl's mouth.

A loud banging noise jolted them both apart, and two pairs of startled eyes turned towards the entrance of the tavern, where someone was hammering on the locked front door.

"Come on girl, open up. I ain't got all day!"

Tifa recognised the voice. "It's Fleece, the transport guy from the brewery," she explained, her voice a little breathless. "He delivers here once a month… I forgot he was due today," she said ruefully, crossing the room and straightening her clothes as she walked. "He'll need some help with the beer kegs."

"I'll go to the basement and unlock the cellar doors," Cloud told her, adjusting his pants as he moved, hoping to keep hidden from view the prominent erection he was sporting.

An hour later, and the cellar of the Seventh Heaven was fully restocked. Tifa had helped where she could, but mostly she had lingered and loitered, watching Cloud as he hefted and heaved the heavy barrels and kegs from the delivery wagon and single-handedly carried them where they had to go, stacking them neatly and in order of use. He wasn't the least bit out of breath at this exercise, or even sweating with exertion, she noted. The boy was extremely fit, his powerful muscles toned and honed, as her exploring hands had discovered when she'd lain with him in her bed and her fingers had traced over the smooth contours of his arms. He had the physique of a soldier, and Tifa wondered where he had trained, and why he was no longer there. But she knew better than to pry at this early stage in their relationship.

"Nice young lad, that," Fleece said to Tifa after she had signed his ledger to confirm everything about the order had been okay.

"Yes," Tifa agreed with a dreamy smile, staring ahead absentmindedly as the man got back into the cab of his truck and drove away. Yes indeed, she thought to herself, everything about Cloud was nice; his looks, his manner, his attitude… though, from their lovemaking of the night before, she sensed there was a darker side to him. A few times he had gotten a little rough with her. Nothing serious, just holding her a bit too tightly for comfort, and some of his kisses being a tad too forceful, but it was enough to made her aware he was hiding secrets. She gave a small giggle. It was going to delight her very much to discover those secrets one by one, and help eradicate them from his life.

The morning was promising to be a fine one, with the sun already warming the air, and Tifa was loathe to spend the day indoors. On a whim, she spun around and went back inside the tavern to find her hired help. He was in the kitchen, washing his hands, and she said to him in a teasing light-hearted voice, "If I remember rightly, someone promised me a ride on his motorcycle when he first came here,"

Cloud slowly turned his head to look at her, his eyes seemingly searching her face. "We have to get this place ready for opening in a few hours," he told her, wondering why she should only now remember what had been said when he first came here looking for a job.

"Blah… it's fine. The pumps are cleaned, the tables and glasses washed. Even the windows are sparkling, thanks to you. Come on, let's take a little time off. You've earned it," Tifa told him as she moved next to him, holding out a cloth for him to wipe his wet hands.

"Where do you want to go?" Cloud asked as he accepted the cloth, using it to dry off his fingers and hanging it back up neatly.

Tifa had to think for a moment. She hadn't really thought about where she would like to go for a bike ride, she had just wanted to see if he would agree. It seemed like he had, so she suggested going out to the power plant.

"Why there?" he asked a little sullenly.

"Why not?" Tifa countered. "I think I'm about the only person who hasn't gone out to see it being built. I want to know what all the fuss is about. Please, Cloud, please?" she begged, cupping her hands in a pleading stance while tilting her head a little to one side and fluttering her eyelashes at him.

Cloud suppressed a grin at the girl's antics. "You have to work harder on your womanly wiles," he told her.

"Does that mean you won't take me?" Tifa asked, sounding distraught.

Pausing only for a second or two, Cloud relented and replied, "No, I'll take you. But we're not going too close to the actual construction area, okay? Building sites can be dangerous places, so we'll stay quite far away. Can't risk putting my 'boss' in any danger, now can I?"

Tifa didn't care how far away from the power plant they were, because she was getting her own way; going on a bike ride, alone with Cloud. How much more enjoyable could her day get!

/\./\./\./\./\./\./\

Author's Note to those whom I can't find to private message: Lordie, thank you very much for the review. I can only hope that this story will also give you many years of, pleasure.

And benotafeared, I thank you also for your review, and hope that you are continuing to enjoy reading this.

Mitts


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The drive to their destination was over too soon, as far as Tifa was concerned, but she consoled herself with the fact that they had yet to make the return journey home. As the engine of the motorcycle was shut off, she reluctantly released the hold she had on the driver and pushed herself from the saddle, standing beside the machine as she removed the helmet Cloud had made her wear. Unknowingly, he had made her feel special by that simple gesture… gallantly giving her protection, and going without himself. It was something Trey would never have thought to do, and it earned the blond haired boy extra merit points in Tifa's affections.

Still sitting astride the powerful bike, Cloud took off his driving goggles and dusted them clean on his top before dangling them on one of the handlebars. Taking his time to dismount he stared at the girl, who had her back to him and was looking out towards the edge of the plateau they were on. He remembered the first time he had seen the rear of her, when he had walked through the tavern door seeking employment. His first impression of the bar was that it was small. Small and well built. Like its owner. Now he silently appraised her slim figure at leisure; the toned thighs, the firm butt, the long dark hair that blew gently in the soft wind. Unwanted thoughts of longer, silver hair entered Cloud's mind, and with a small shake of his head he made himself go towards the waiting girl and put his arms around her tiny waist, burying his nose into the nape of her neck. He wanted to think only of his time with her… not with him.

Taken a little by surprise at the embrace, Tifa nonetheless enjoyed it. She lifted her hands to join Cloud's, her fingers hampered a little by the helmet she was still holding onto, and she turned her face slightly to the side, granting better access to her throat. His kisses on her skin were sending shivers of delight all through her, and she responded by pushing back against him, subconsciously encouraging him.

It was with some relief that Cloud felt his cock start to stiffen. He had been starting to think it was a bad idea coming out here with her. This was where he rode to, whenever he had time off from work. He was impulsively drawn back, day after day. Riding out alone, stepping to the edge of the plateau, looking down at the construction work going on below, seeking out one person from amongst many, and always his heart would be thumping madly in his chest as his eyes sought to find him. Sometimes he thought he spied the glimmer of shimmering hair, but he could never be sure it was the man he was seeking, and that left him feeling frustrated, and irritated. He wished he could understand why he put himself through such torture, why he felt compelled to catch a glimpse of the bastard who had abused him so much. What were his actual feelings for his former captor; Hatred? Anger? Passion?

Cloud abruptly turned the quiet girl in his arms and took her lips brutally. He didn't want to dwell on the general, and the things they had done together. He didn't want to brood upon the thought of how, after he left this place, he would go back to his small room at the tavern and wank himself off furiously. What he needed was to get his abuser out of his life, and his head… and the only way to do that was to take this girl, or some other person, over and over again until all memories of Sephiroth were wiped out.

Tifa pulled away from Cloud. He was doing it again; becoming rough. She quite liked rough sex, but having her mouth bruised and sore wasn't her ideal start of foreplay. She preferred doing things slowly to begin with, working her body up into a frenzy before the rougher games. He would have to learn that. Taking another step backwards she held up the helmet like a shield between them and, not wanting to discourage him too much, said with a feigned laugh in her voice, "I hope you brought a picnic blanket with you, because the vigorous way you are handling me, my back will be torn to shreds on all the sharp stones and pebbles that are littered around on the ground."

"You can lay over the bike saddle," Cloud replied, reaching for her again. But instead of clasping flesh, his hands only succeeded in claiming the helmet that she was brandishing. He looked down at it for a moment before raising his eyes to look at her. "Sorry, I… I get a little carried away at times," he said apologetically, realising he had been too brash.

"It's okay, I don't mind," Tifa replied, adding gently, "Just… at the right time, and the right place, eh?"

Giving a small nod, Cloud tossed the helmet casually towards the bike, uncaring of whether or not it got dented or scratched as it landed. It didn't matter to him if it did, he never wore it anyway. Then he let himself be led to the edge of the plateau by the girl, who had taken hold of his hand and was now pulling on it, indicating that she wanted him to follow her.

"It's so far down," Tifa gasped, taking in the view below her and instinctively clutching harder at the boy's fingers as she braced herself and craned to look over the rim. It wasn't that she had a problem with heights… more that she was scared of falling. Cloud seemed to exhibit no fear of either heights or falling, standing easily beside her, closer to the edge even than she was, with the tips of his boots overhanging the drop. It seemed to Tifa almost as if he were challenging Fate, daring the precarious ledge to crumble and topple him over. She let go of his hand, and took a small step back.

They stood that way in silence for a few minutes, each of them preoccupied with their own thoughts as they looked downwards towards the building being erected. It seemed almost complete, and from the vast number of workers and machines present it wasn't surprising that it was being finished so fast. The ground was littered with moving bodies and trucks, and the occasional clanging ring of metal upon metal would float up to them and mingle with the sporadic call of the few birds which were flying overhead.

Casting her eyes demurely at the silent male, Tifa wondered what it was that he found so fascinating here. "You said that you've come by this way a few times, Cloud. Why?" she asked, keeping her voice soft and low so as not to startle the boy, who was perched so dangerously.

"There's someone inside that I…" Cloud abruptly stopped himself from saying any more.

"That you love?" Tifa prompted, her fingers reaching to touch gently at Cloud's elbow, hoping that his answer was going to be 'no'.

Silence met her question. And then, with a shake of his head, Cloud turned away from the view of the power plant and made his way back to his motorcycle, getting onto it and keying the engine into life.

"Someone you care for, then?" Tifa persisted, donning the helmet he held out to her and climbing up behind him, her arms possessively encircling his narrow waist.

But any reply Cloud might have made to her was lost to the wind, as he lowered his goggles and spurred the machine, driving away at speed from the plateau.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Pouring out a cold drink, Tifa took it to the back yard, where Cloud was tinkering with his beloved motorcycle. He'd been out there for hours now, and Tifa felt sure he was bound to be thirsty because of the hot sun burning down on him and no shade in the little area.

She found him squatted on his haunches, head bent low, spanner in hand. The bike was slowly being dismantled and reassembled a section at a time, the removed pieces all laid out neatly in precise straight rows around him on a piece of tarpaulin. He was clearly deeply immersed in his task, for he didn't even turn his head when Tifa approached him, only acknowledging her arrival when she pointedly offered out the glass that she was carrying.

Cloud wiped an oily hand on his trousers and thanked the girl as he accepted the drink. He gulped it down quickly and then, handing her the empty glass, he returned to his work.

Tifa rubbed at the oil smudged glass with a fingertip. It was going to take more than just a quick rinse to clean, she thought wryly as she leaned back against the wall of the shed to watch him. But she didn't care. She would wash up a thousand dirty glasses such as this, just to know she had satisfied his thirst… as he had satisfied her thirst in bed last night.

Though her eyes were focused upon him, it was the vision in her mind that was holding her attention. Images recalled of them coming back from the plateau the day before. They had barely gotten in through the door of the Seventh Heaven before they had started ripping each other's clothes off. They'd had frantic sex on the bar-room floor, and then slower sex in her bed at the end of the day, after the punters had all cleared out and gone home. Tifa hoped Cloud had the strength for a repeat performance tonight, although she was going to have to instruct him not to be so forceful. She was starting to come out in bruises.

"Fuck it!"

Brought abruptly out of her daydream by Cloud's expletive, Tifa shifted away from the shed and edged closer to him, asking. "What's wrong? Anything I can help with?"

"Not unless you happen to have a spare air filter handy," Cloud replied, tossing something small away from him to land in the dirt. "This one has gotten a hole in it somehow, and a damn pebble got lodged in the carburettor, which has now totally screwed up my drive for today."

"Well, now that you've found the pebble, and gotten rid of it, isn't the problem solved?" Tifa asked, turning to look at the offending little stone that Cloud had thrown away.

With a sigh, Cloud stood up and stared down dispassionately at the stricken machine. "I need a new air filter, or it's just going to happen again. And maybe next time I won't be so lucky as to make it back here. I could end up walking for miles."

Tifa wished she could help. He looked so disappointed. "Are you upset just because you can't ride out to the plateau today?" she asked, thinking she could suggest something more physical to do with his spare time instead.

"I'd better clean up. I'm filthy. Where's the nearest garage?" Cloud asked over his shoulder, ignoring her question as he left the broken motorcycle and walked towards the kitchen, intending on washing his dirty hands.

Following him into the cooler, shady interior of the tavern, Tifa helped him by turning on the taps and passing him some soap and a small scrubbing brush. "There isn't a garage here in this town. We don't really have call for one. Most people are miners," she informed him, adding quickly as she saw his mouth dip in annoyance, "But there is an old guy named Cid, who likes collecting and repairing anything mechanical. Maybe he has the part you need. The only thing is, he lives quite far away. It'll take you over a day just to get to him. Perhaps I can ask Barrett to take you and your motorcycle, in his truck."

"Barrett?" Cloud queried.

"Ahuh, you know… the big guy who comes in here sometimes. Dark hair. Gun attached where his arm should be."

"Oh, him? His name is Barrett, eh?"

Tifa nodded, watching as Cloud scrubbed at the stubborn oil that lingered on him. He was rubbing too hard, she thought, noticing how his skin was reddening. He was going to draw blood if he wasn't careful. She lifted a hand and placed it gently on his forearm. "Stop, you're going to hurt yourself," she chided softly.

"I have to clean it off. He doesn't like messy things," Cloud answered in a monotone voice, continuing to scrub furiously at his fingers.

"Who?" Tifa asked, her eyebrows furrowing. "Cloud? Who doesn't like messy things?" She shook at his arm to demand his attention.

It seemed to work, because Cloud stopped what he was doing. He stood there for a moment, just staring down at his hands, and then he moved away from the sink, dropping the scrubbing brush back into the bowl. He ran his wet hands over his face and hair and, taking a deep shuddering breath he asked, "Can you talk to this, Barrett, for me? See if he'll take me today, please?"

Tifa's eyes went from the discarded scrubbing brush, to the man standing near her. She could sense that he was distressed over something, but couldn't for the life of her understand what. Up until he had come in to clean his hands, he had seemed perfectly fine. She could only presume that he was upset over his disabled motorcycle. It was obvious to her that he cared a lot for the machine, especially as he was referring to the bike as, 'he', and saying that it didn't like to be messy. She let a little smile grace her lips. Men, she thought, getting so attached to simple bolts, nuts and screws."I'll give Barrett a call now," she said, and was rewarded with a small nod of gratitude from the blond youth.

A few minutes later saw Cloud sat squeezed in the truck next to Barrett, and his motorcycle stowed in the back wagon. Tifa waved as they departed. Unknown to Cloud, she'd had to barter with Barrett to take him; for his next two visits to the Seventh Heaven, Barrett would get free drinks. But it was worth the price, to have seen Cloud's face when she'd told him the news that the big man was on his way over. Cloud had raced out to the yard to gather up his machine, while she had gone to his room and packed an overnight bag for him. Now, watching as the truck faded into the distance, she realised just how much she was going to miss him, especially once the punters had left and she went to bed… alone again.

But it wasn't loneliness that kept her awake that night. It was the hammering on the locked door to her tavern, waking her from a restless slumber.

Turning on the bedside lamp, Tifa glanced at the clock in her room and saw that she'd only been sleeping for about fifteen minutes. She gave a deep sigh as the sound of pounding resonated throughout the tavern again, and she reluctantly threw back the bedding. _It's probably a half drunken punter who's forgotten his overcoat, which has his house keys in the pocket, _she mused to herself as she put on a dressing gown and began trudging down the stairs. "Okay! Okay, I'm coming!" she hollered as the banging thuds continued. Turning on a set of lights, she unlocked the door and prepared herself for giving a lecture about the rule on leaving things behind, and collecting them in the morning.

"Yo, hi doll. Is your mommy home?"

Tifa blinked, and she looked with puzzled eyes at the two men standing before her. Each of them was dressed in a black suit, and their ultra-white shirts seemed to glow in the light of the tavern. One man was tall, bald, and dark skinned, while the other who had spoken to her was shorter, pale skinned, and had bright red hair. She wondered why they were wearing dark glasses at this time of night, but before she could even open her mouth to question them about anything she was shoved roughly aside. "What the… We're closed!" was all she could think to say.

"Yeah, we know, doll. That's why we knocked, yo, so you'd open the door."

They stepped boldly into the tavern, and Tifa felt her blood rise. Running behind the bar, she took out a sturdy wooden bat which she kept there to scare troublemakers. "I'm warning you, I know how to use this," she threatened, holding it aloft.

Both men simply looked at one another for a second or two, and then the redhead grinned and grabbed at his crouch. "And I'm warning you, doll, that I know how to use _this_. And if you use that on me, yo, I get to use this on you, once I decked you, and laid you out."

Indecision played within Tifa. Nothing like this had ever happened to her before. Sure, she'd had to deal with a few rowdy customers who thought more was for sale than ale, but no one had ever barged into her premises before after closing time. She needed to keep her cool, and find out what these strangers wanted. "So, what can I do for you, gentlemen?" she asked, lowering the weapon she held, but not letting go of it.

"It's nothing really for you to get upset about, doll," the redhead told her, stepping forward one pace and holding out his hand. He shrugged and pulled it back when Tifa lifted the bat again. "Yo, this here is my good friend, Rude. And you can call me, Reno. We are security members of Shin-Ra, and this whole pretty little town of yours is undergoing a visit at this very moment from Shin-Ra troopers, because we believe…" Reno was stopped by Rude, who leaned over and whispered something into the redhead's ear. "Ah, yeah, yo, I talk too much," Reno continued when his partner had stood back up straight again. "Anyway, doll, enough to say, like it or lump it, we have a job to do here tonight, and ain't no amount of fighting or screaming gonna get you out of it."

"What sort of job?" Tifa couldn't help but ask. She felt so helpless. Maybe if she cooperated with them, they'd leave.

"Yo, we just need to know who's living here, and then we're gone," Reno stated simply.

Tifa relaxed, and lowered the bat down to her side. If that was all they wanted, then they would be on their way in mere seconds. "It's just me and…" Something made Tifa stop. Her mind was whirling, and warning bells seemed to be going off inside her head. For some strange reason, she felt she had to prevent them from knowing Cloud resided here too. She didn't know why, but it was just a very strong feeling that she had.

"And?" Reno prompted.

"And… I'd like for you to go now," Tifa replied, hoping her voice sounded braver than she felt. "I have had a really busy day today, and I'm anticipating another one tomorrow. I want to return to bed, if you don't mind."

"Yo, well, just one last part of this investigation, doll, and a good night's sleep will be all yours. Can you show me your bedrooms, please?" Without even waiting for consent, Reno headed towards the staircase.

Moving quickly after him, Tifa wasn't too worried. He wouldn't find anything. As she climbed the stairs she cast a look back over her shoulder at the other man, the tall quiet one. He was just stood there, watching, his eyes still shrouded by the dark lenses he wore, but she didn't give him another thought as the one she was following opened the door to her bedroom and went in, flicking the main light switch on.

"Yo, nice. Nice," he said. "Simple. Plain. Big bed." He grinned.

"Seen enough?" Tifa queried, feeling uncomfortable being alone with him. Reno nodded and, leaving her room, he headed towards the small box room. "That's empty!" Tifa declared, sounding sharper than she had intended.

The redhead pushed the door open and, as he had done in Tifa's room, he flicked on the light switch and gazed around the room. "Yo, this seems more of a man's room, doll," he remarked. "No knickknacks. No bric-a-brac. Men don't really go for that stuff. Does a man sleep in here, doll?"

Tifa knew she could not tell a blatant lie and get away with it. She had never been one for telling falsehoods, but she was able to twist the truth. "My boyfriend, sleeps in here," she confessed.

"Name?" Reno demanded, taking a small electronic pad from out of his jacket pocket. When Tifa told him Trey's name, he tapped it into the contraption. "Yo, his name checks out as a resident here all right, but he's not in town at the moment, according to our data. So tell me, doll, how come the bed don't look fresh?"

Looking down, Tifa could clearly see what the man meant. When she had packed Cloud's overnight bag she had set the holdall on the bed, and had perched herself on the blankets too while she had folded up the clothing she'd gathered. The bed did indeed look lived in, the pillow still holding an indentation of a head having lain upon it recently. "I… I sometimes sleep in here, when I get lonely," she bluffed.

Taking off his dark glasses, Reno lifted a hand to Tifa's face and ran the back of his knuckles down her cheek. "You get lonely, do you, doll? I'm not surprised, if you spend time apart from your lover and when he comes home he sleeps here, in a single bed. You want some company? Yo, I can keep you company."

"He's due home any day now, so, no thank you," Tifa snapped, slapping at the hand which was now reaching out to caress a stray strand of her hair.

The air between them was electric for a moment, each of them staring the other down. But then a sound from below was heard, and Tifa breathed a deep sigh as Reno donned his dark spectacles again and headed towards the stairs.

"Yo, bro, you okay?" the redhead quizzed as he walked back in to the bar area of Tifa's home. Rude simply nodded, and patted his breast pocket. "Well, doll, seems we're all done here," Reno said, much to Tifa's relief.

"Then, gentlemen, I'd like to say it's been a pleasure, but I have to lock up now and sleep. So, if you don't mind…" Tifa extended one arm towards the doorway, indicting it was time for them to leave.

"Yo, we could have made such sweet baby dollies," the redhead gave as his parting comment. Rude simply dipped his bald head once. Then the pair was gone.

Dropping the bat that she had still been clutching, Tifa ran and slammed the door shut behind them, locking it fast. Then she leaned back against it, her thoughts going over and over what had just occurred. Anger slowly replaced disbelief, and she contemplated making a formal complaint in the morning to Shin-Ra about the visit she'd had. But in the darkness of her room, Tifa knew any such report would be futile. Everyone knew the power Shin-Ra had, and they were becoming stronger by the day.

She tossed and turned the rest of that night, her mind worrying in case she heard thumping upon the front door again. She couldn't wait for Cloud to come home. She knew she'd feel so much safer when she was back in his arms.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Tifa practically threw herself at Cloud when he returned late the next day. The few people that still lingered in her bar smiled and raised glasses at her action, even cheered a little when the two young lovers exchanged a small kiss, after which they turned their attentions back to their conversations and their last beers of the night, leaving the couple to their own business.

Cloud made his way up to his room to drop off the overnight bag he carried, while Tifa clung on to his sleeve, and walked with him. He looked down at her once or twice, puzzled by the strength of her greeting, and the way she was clinging to him. "You okay?" he asked her as he opened his bedroom door.

"I am now," Tifa replied, beaming happily. "Here, let me help you with that." She took the bag from him and unzipped it, taking clothing out and sorting it where it belonged. "So, the motorcycle is all mended?" she enquired as she worked.

"Yeah. That Cid guy is a fair person. For the price he charged me on what I wanted, he even threw in some spares I might need for my bike later; Bulbs for the lamps, a couple of fuses, and some oil filters."

"I'm so glad you're back. Last night…"

"Tifa! Tifa hon! The rest of us lads are going now. If you'd like to leave what you're doing a moment, and come lock up after us!"

The voice calling up to her from below stairs had caused Tifa to stop mid-sentence. Giving Cloud a small smile she excused herself and left him alone while she went downstairs to see her customers out. All of them had had extra money to spend that night, courtesy of Shin-Ra, who had paid everyone in the village, including Tifa, as recompense for their impromptu search. The additional drinks that the bonus gil had bought ensured that the punters left for home in good humour, a few of them winking at Tifa and telling her to hurry and not let the bed get cold. She had absolutely no intention of letting anything go cold that night.

With the door locked and bolted, Tifa hurriedly switched off the lights and made her way back to Cloud's bedroom, pushing away all thoughts of the cleaning she had to do. She would get up extra early in the morning, she told herself, but for now all she wanted was to feel the blond's strong arms around her, and to have him make love to her.

Cloud was in the shower when she returned upstairs. Leaning against the bathroom wall, Tifa watched as he cleaned himself. The hot swirling steam and falling water could not hide his form from her eyes, and she enjoyed taking a leisurely look at him from top to toe before her gaze found itself being drawn back to his groin area. But he inadvertently disappointed her by turning around and unwittingly presenting his ass to her. Not that his rear view upset Tifa. To her, he was perfection from any angle.

Turning off the water, Cloud grinned as he stepped out of the cubicle and saw Tifa holding out a towel towards him. "Perv!" he said playfully, accepting the drying cloth and placing it around his slim hips.

Tifa smiled back and kissed Cloud's wet lips, her heart skipping a beat when she felt his arms finally go around her and pull her into a tight embrace as he deepened the kiss. She willingly submitted to him and rubbed her thigh gently up against the towel he was wearing, teasing the growing erection that was budding beneath it.

"I've never felt so missed before," Cloud said as he broke for breath. "Maybe I should go see Cid more often."

Tifa shook her head. "No. I couldn't stand another night like last night. I barely slept a wink," she told him, her voice husky with passion.

Cloud dodged her mouth as her lips approached his for a second kiss, and he asked her, "You couldn't sleep because I wasn't here?"

Tifa giggled and gave Cloud a playful push. "No, silly. Well… sort of. I mean… not like that! I didn't just miss the, you know, the sex." She gave a small embarrassed laugh as she began blushing, but hurried to explain as Cloud tilted his head in question at her. "I just wished you had been here last night, is all, when those two men came."

"Which two men?"

"Reno and Rude, they said their names were," Tifa related. "I had just gone to bed more or less when they banged on the door. Everyone in town was talking about it today, about how we'd all been visited by security members from Shin-Ra late last night. Each of us was questioned about who lived in our homes and… Cloud?"

Tifa stopped talking, and watched in puzzlement as Cloud began dressing fast. That done, he then began shoving his few possessions as quickly as he could into the overnight bag that had just been emptied, continuously glancing towards the window in the bedroom, looking outside for a brief moment before hurrying on with what he was doing.

"Cloud? Cloud, what's wrong?" Tifa questioned, as the boy slipped his feet into his heavy black boots. Something had seriously upset him. One moment he had been almost naked, holding her in his arms, as eager as she was to participate in foreplay, and the next instance saw him dressed and ready to flee. "Are you going somewhere?"

Without answering her, Cloud pushed past Tifa and headed towards the stairs. But she wasn't going to give up so easily. "What are you doing?" she demanded, catching up to him and pulling at his arm, forcing him to turn and look at her.

"I have to go. He knows I'm here."

"Who knows that you're here?" Tifa queried.

There was a pause, and then Cloud said softly, "Sephiroth."

Tifa's mind took a moment or two to mull the name over. Then, as Cloud started down the stairs she called out, "Shin-Ra's, General Sephiroth? Cloud, why are you running away from him? What is he after?"

"Me," was Cloud's simple reply.

As he began to unlock the front door, Tifa ran forwards and tugged at his hand. "He doesn't know you're here. I told you, they've searched the tavern already. They won't come back. They think Trey is living with me. It's safe…"

"It's not safe!" Cloud shouted, more vehemently than he intended. He was upset that he'd been found. That he had put the girl in danger. "It's not safe," he repeated, this time keeping his voice low. "He knows I'm here, somewhere, otherwise he wouldn't have his men out searching. He won't give up. They'll be back to search again, and if he has to he'll order that this entire town be razed to the ground to flush me out."

"What did you do, that he wants you so desperately?" Tifa asked quietly.

"Whatever he told me to do," Cloud replied, turning his face from her.

Tifa looked at him aghast and cried, "You are a Soldier? You're one of those mindless killing machines that go around murdering innocents, and stealing land and property to make those in power at Shin-Ra even mightier?"

Cloud neither acknowledged nor denied the accusation. It was better she believed he was a simple soldier carrying out a general's orders, than knowing what he had really been… a slave, obeying a master.

This time when Cloud began unlocking the door, Tifa did not stop him. She wanted to. She very badly wanted to. But deep inside she felt as if he had betrayed her somehow by not telling her about that part of his life. She knew he had secrets. She had even discussed with her friend what they might be, and she had hoped that one day he would tell her about them. Instead, he was running off into the night like a wanted criminal, and as he pulled the door open, Tifa lifted her head high, and prepared to watch him go.

But instead of walking out through the door, Tifa was surprised to see him walk slowly backwards into the tavern, almost bumping into her. She stepped quickly to one side, and gawked as two men dressed in black suits followed him in. "You two again!" she exclaimed.

"Yo, doll, you look nice, even with day clothes on," the redheaded one remarked candidly.

"What do you want this time?" Tifa demanded, ignoring the man's jibe.

"Leave the girl out of this. I'll come quietly. Just, let her alone," Cloud said in a low voice.

Tifa's attention jerked towards Cloud as he spoke. He sounded resigned, defeated, as if he had been expecting something like this to happen. Now she knew that her instincts of the night before, of her wanting to protect him, had been proven right. He was in trouble, and she realised the seriousness of that trouble when she saw that the two men from Shin-Ra were armed… and their weapons were pointed at her.

Reno lifted his free arm to his mouth, and spoke into a transmitter that was built into his watch. "Yo, target has been apprehended, for now. Anticipating trouble. We have one hostage to barter with, but once she gets it there's nothing stopping our boy from running free. Would suggest you move your ass, fast."

Tifa edged nervously towards Cloud, but stopped moving when the silent dark man lifted his gun a little. She swallowed hard, and her voice was barely a whisper as she said, "Cloud, please tell me, you're not really one of them, are you?"

But it was the talkative redhead who spoke back to her. "Yo, doll, I am counting my blessings that you are here, else I wouldn't be standing as I am, so calm and collected like. That blond boy is one _sweeeeet_ fighter. Could easily take me down, Rude too, and not even blink."

"If you're so scared of him, why have your shooters aimed at me? It's not like I could hurt either of you!" Tifa shot back, her voice clearly displaying her displeasure at their second intrusion into her home.

"Because, doll, while Spikey might not give a damn about his own life, he does foolishly believe in defending others that he cares about. It's just lucky for me and my partner here that he seems to care about you, yo."

Tifa's small hands balled into fists at her sides. Not only was she annoyed at the two Shin-Ra men, but she was annoyed at Cloud too; at his silence, his simply standing there. And she was also irrationally upset with him because, if he hadn't come here, she wouldn't be in this situation right now. And while a part of her chided herself for that thought, she also reasoned to herself that she was in danger of her life because of him. Did she really know him well enough to die for him? "What made you suddenly decide to come back?" she demanded of the redhead, hoping that talking would help her to take control of her worrying thoughts.

As an answer to her question, the silent one strode over to a table in the bar area and, still keeping his loaded weapon aimed on Tifa, he reached underneath the table-top with his free hand and tugged something loose, slowly holding the exposed item aloft.

"Yo, an effective way of knowing when to come collect our prize, without having to stake the place out twenty-four-seven, you know what I mean?" Reno said with a grin.

"You bugged my place?" Tifa gasped, staring at the held up device and hardly daring to believe they would stoop so low. "You planted a bug, in _my_ place?" she said again, her voice rising. "Is that even legal? Don't you have to get warrants or something to do that? I'm going to sue you all the way to the…"

"Please, Tifa… Just keep cool. Everything will be okay."

Tifa stopped at Cloud's softly spoken words, and she glared at him. "Do something!" she all but yelled. "Don't just stand there. Do something."

"Yo, doll, I don't know if your pretty little eyes have taken in much more than my beauty, but me and my partner here, we still got our pistols aimed right at you, and Blondie there knows better than to move a muscle. If he so much as twitches… Pop pop, you're dead. Yo, you understand now?"

Tifa bit back the retort that was about to burst from her mouth. Looking at Cloud, she could see him shaking. Not much, almost indiscernible, but she could see the way he trembled slightly, and could tell how hard he was finding it to control his breathing. His face had lost all pallor and, like her, his fists were clenched. To the two men who were not standing as close to him, Tifa supposed the boy looked outwardly unruffled and composed, but she could tell by the way his eyes were fixed on the others that he was fully sprung and just waiting for his chance to lunge at them. Tifa's instinct for survival kept her quiet and still as she waited to see what would happen next.

The arrival of a third unwanted person, coming into her tavern uninvited, was what happened.

A stunning looking man, with overlong silver hair, appeared in the doorway. Dressed in black leather, his very presence seemed to demand respect. And when he spoke, Tifa felt shivers run down her spine.

"I'll take back what is mine, thank you."

/\./\./\./\./\./\

Author's Note, to those I could not private message; lordie, thank you for the positive review. I am glad you are continuing to enjoy the story, and I hope this chapter has left you still upon the edge of your seat. Guest, thank you also for your review. It was nice to see that you spotted the reference about the cleaning of the glasses. Poor Cloud just can't escape his past it seems.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

It seemed that the words the newcomer spoke were the trigger to set Cloud off. As the man had finished speaking, so Cloud had suddenly moved, pushing Tifa harshly to one side out of range of the weapons upon her and then, just as quickly he headed for the staircase, making his way up the steps two or three at a time, not even looking back, knowing that the girl would no longer be their target… he was. He heard the alarmed shout from Reno as soon as he moved, but the Turks had been too slow and he had gotten a small head-start on them. Cloud ran into the bathroom and slammed the door behind him, locking it. Then he hastened over to the window, opened it, and dropped down into the small courtyard below where his bike waited to carry him to freedom. But… he didn't make it.

A blow to the side of his face sent Cloud stumbling backwards away from the machine. Only the glint of silver hair in the moonlight gave away General Sephiroth's presence in the darkness of the night, but it was all Cloud needed to locate, lock, and fight back. Quickly regaining his balance, he lunged towards his attacker.

"Yo, Boss, you need some help there?" Reno called, looking down upon the scuffle from the open bathroom window. A blasting sizzle sound was heard, followed by a loud grunt, then a soft groan. "Ah, no worries, yo, I see my good buddy Rude got matters under control."

Sephiroth stood up to his full height and brushed his clothing clean of any dirt or dust. "There was no need to use the Arbittor on the boy, especially on such a high setting. I was enjoying the fight," he chastised. "But no harm done. I'm sure we will resume our sparring once he regains consciousness."

Rude slipped the weapon he'd used back into its holster, and nudged his dark glasses back into place. He had been about to follow Reno up the stairs, but had then seen the general take off out the door. Logical sense told him that the target would not remain in the house, and so he too had gone outside. And as he silently stared down at the incapacitated youth on the ground, he knew he had been right to do so. Cloud was now captured.

"Let him go!"

The men had forgotten about the girl, and it was her that shouted out the demand. She was standing near the corner of the tavern, her tiny frame silhouetted in the pale backlight of the moon behind her, her face obscured by the dark shadows. But they didn't need to see her features to know she was angry.

While gathering her wits together after being pushed to safety, and having witnessed Cloud take flight from his pursuers, Tifa had processed the events in her mind and thought she finally understood what this was all about. At some point, Cloud had stolen the silver haired man's motorcycle, and the man had come to claim it back. That was what his comment meant, when he had spoken in her doorway, about taking back what was his. Well as far as Tifa was concerned, the matter could be easily resolved without the need for any more violence. "Look, just take the damn machine. Cloud doesn't need it. He's even had it repaired," she said, adding quickly, "Not that there was anything majorly wrong with it. And it wasn't as if he broke anything on purpose."

"What is that female blabbering on about?" Sephiroth asked of Rude.

The silent man shrugged his shoulders, and then raised a single finger to his temple, making small circles in the air by his head.

"Yo, bro, this here chick isn't crazy," Reno remonstrated as he came and joined the others in the dark courtyard. "And I won't have you talk about my future intended in such a way."

Tifa wasn't wearing dark shades like the two men, which afforded them the luxury of night vision, so she hadn't seen the gesture which had been made towards her, but the blackness of the night did not stunt her hearing and in reply to the comment the redhead had made she snapped, "I would never marry you!"

"Yo, hold on, doll. Who said anything about you being my future bride? I meant you're my future lay," Reno explained, chuckling.

"The only 'future' we have together, is where I raise my right hand and extend my middle digit out to you," Tifa said heatedly.

"Ohh a kinky bitch. Yo, I have found me my perfect bed partner."

"Okay, enough flirtations for one evening. Grab the boy and let's return," Sephiroth barked out, moving towards the exit of the courtyard and pushing past the girl.

As the two men stooped and lifted their burden between them, Tifa furrowed her brows. If this wasn't about a stolen motorcycle, then, what? "Stop!" she yelled, as Reno and Rude also made to walk past her. They didn't pause, not even when she tried yanking at the red-heads arm. He just kept a tight grip on Cloud's ankles, while the other man held Cloud at his underarms. "You have to stop," she tried again. "He works for me. He is under contract to me. You can't just take him without any explanation."

"I can do whatever I want," the general replied tartly, still strolling away. Then he turned and walked back slowly to Tifa. "In fact, you should be grateful to me for this," he said as he stopped in front of her. She canted her head in question at him. Sephiroth could sense her distrust. "I have just saved your life."

Tifa gave a snort. "Cloud would never hurt me," she said softly, looking upon the prone body of the blond still held by the two Shin-Ra men, who were now standing and waiting just a little ahead.

"You don't know how dangerous this boy can be," Sephiroth informed the girl, his voice low, menacing. "Instead of slicing you open down here, with his weapon of warm flesh…"

Tifa jumped a little as the general suddenly placed a gloved hand between her legs. She wanted to smack at the invasive limb, but it was as if his close proximity dominated and subdued her. She was powerless to move. All she could do was take deep ragged breaths, and wait for him to finish talking and to move away from her.

"… he could have been slicing you open with his other weapon made of cold steel... here." Keeping his first hand in place between the girl's upper thighs, Sephiroth now used the forefinger of his other hand to mimic a cutting motion across her throat. He smiled when he felt her gulping and shuddering. Then, removing his hands and looking at them as if they had become dirtied, he wiped them on Reno's jacket, and began to stroll away again.

"He'd never hurt me!" Tifa screamed as she felt her body return to her own control.

"I know you don't quite understand yet," Sephiroth replied calmly, walking into the blackness of the night, "but believe me, you've just had a lucky escape, young woman. You'll thank me one day."

As the two men holding Cloud began to move away too, Tifa chased after them. "So did you bug everyone's home to find out where he was?" she asked shrilly. She had to know how they had discovered him. "Do I have to warn all my neighbours to check underneath their furniture?"

"Yo, yours was the only one, doll," the redhead answered.

"Why just mine? How could you know he was with me, from that first visit?"

"My men are nothing, if not diligent," Sephiroth told her as he stopped beside an armoured car, indicating to Reno and Rude to deposit their burden inside the trunk. They did so, none too gently, tossing Cloud's body in to the confined space like he was a piece of luggage.

The girl could only stand and watch as Sephiroth slammed the trunk lid down, and then went towards the driver's seat and opened the door. "While you were busy showing Reno around your bedrooms, Rude was doing his job downstairs," he told her. "Yes, you told my searchers about your absent boyfriend but you conveniently forgot to tell them about your handy barman. You also forgot about this, which told me everything I needed to know." He held up a scrap of paper between his fingers.

Stepping forwards just enough to see the writing, which was illuminated by the car's small interior light, Tifa felt her blood go cold. It was a page torn from the pad which she kept under her bar, and it held the details of Cloud's name, and the fact that he resided at the Seventh Heaven. "Shit," Tifa uttered, seeing the incriminating evidence. Now she knew what the dark man had been patting in his pocket that night, and why she had been the only one to be bugged.

"Yo, doll, it was a pleasure making your acquaintance," Reno said as he took his place on the back seat of the car, next to his partner. "Sorry I busted your bathroom door down chasing after Spikey. I'll come back one night and make amends for that though, ok? Oh and… thank you for your cooperation in this matter. Shin-Ra looks kindly upon those that assist them."

The general drove away, and Tifa walked slowly back to the tavern. Inside, she felt so lost and alone without Cloud, but she had been powerless to stop the men from taking him. What could she have done to help? She was just a mere girl.

She sank down onto a chair and stared vacantly at a wall. So much was going through her mind. So many questions unanswered. Why hadn't Cloud used an alias when he came here if he knew he was being hunted? Why did he even come here in the first place if he knew he would be in danger? And why hadn't he escaped when he had the chance?

Tears fell freely from Tifa's eyes as she answered that last question herself. Cloud could have easily escaped from the two men before the general arrived, but if he had, she would now be dead. He had given up his chance of freedom to save her. As far as Tifa was concerned, Cloud was the bravest person she had ever known… and she had to do something to try and save him in return.

Scrubbing the wetness from her face, Tifa stood up and went to her bedroom. In the morning, she was going to start training. No one would mess with her after tonight. If that punk redhead ever dared show his face in her bar again, he'd regret it with a vengeance.

Grabbing a large piece of coloured paper and a marker pen, Tifa wrote out another, 'Help Wanted' sign, only this time the help wanted wasn't for the tavern… it was to rescue Cloud.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Cloud's head was hammering a storm, and his closed eyes winced against the agonizing pain that was ravaging inside the rest of his body. As he slowly became more alert and focused he began to wonder how long he'd been out for, and pondered over what damage the general might have wrought upon him while he'd been unconscious.

He knew that he was led on his back, and that he ached all over; he was able to ascertain that much. But as he opened his eyes, he realised that was all he would know about any injuries for now, because utter darkness greeted him. He was blind.

Cloud blinked rapidly several times, hoping that would solve the problem. He even tried rubbing at his eyes with a hand, but to no avail. The only thing that stopped Cloud from panicking about having permanently lost his sight was the fact that, as he'd moved his arm towards his face, his elbow knocked against a wall that was up tight against his body. In the darkness he reached around himself tentatively, following the wall where he could reach, and discovering that he was in some type of closed metal container, which had no room for him to sit, or to even turn over comfortably. The other thing that Cloud discovered was the tubes that had been inserted into his arms and legs. His exploring fingers fed along the tubes, and he realised that they led outside of the container holding him. He was very tempted to rip the invading tubing from his limbs, but every survival instinct told him he'd be foolish to do so. They had to have been put there for a reason, and one reason Cloud could think of was to feed him. He didn't think that they were there to supply him with painkillers because, while he felt no hunger, his whole body hummed and throbbed with aches and pains.

At any other time, Cloud would have found being in such a position daunting. Closed in, and blinded by darkness, he would have had a hard time coping with the situation. But for the moment he hurt too much to worry about where he was. He was glad of the pain though, as feeling it meant that he was still alive. And the last thought on his mind, before passing out again, was wondering why he was completely naked.

. . . . . . .

It was a sense of movement that awoke Cloud the next time. He could feel his body swaying as the container was jostled. He was instantly alert, staring intensely into the blackness, waiting and hoping to see some light. He realised he wasn't in as much pain as he was the last time he'd been awake, and he was thankful for that. Perhaps he had been given painkillers, after all.

He felt the jarring sensation of being lowered, and then heard a thud, indicating to him that his transportation journey was over. Cloud felt his heart start to quicken. He knew who was waiting to greet him once the lid was taken off, and he wasn't really sure how he would react upon seeing the silver haired general. He was certainly in no condition to fight the man.

"Ah, so you are awake. Good, good, good."

Cloud quickly lifted an arm to shield his eyes as the casket lid was removed. The brief glimpse of brightness that he saw had blinded him as effectively as the darkness, but although he hadn't seen the man who spoke, he knew that it wasn't the general.

"I think we can take these from you now," the man continued, pulling at the tubes that fed into Cloud's body.

Flinching as each one was yanked free, Cloud slowly lowered his arm as his eyes adjusted to the bright light. It was sunlight. Daytime. Cloud found his gaze being drawn towards a window, but there wasn't anything to see apart from blue sky and the occasional passing bird which meant that, wherever this room was, it was high up.

"You are quite beautiful, aren't you boy."

The stranger's compliment had Cloud turning his attention to him. He took in the man's details; long dark hair, kept neat and tidy and held back in a ponytail; strange round glasses that seemed to magnify his eyes tenfold; and an annoying habit he seemed to have of chuckling quietly to himself now and again. There was something about the man, and the way he handled Cloud's body, that made Cloud bristle and feel unclean. He suddenly became intensely aware of his nudity and began to struggle to sit up, to try and cover himself.

"No, no. That simply won't do. If you persist in these endeavours, I will resort to subduing you," the man warned, pressing hard on Cloud's chest, forcing him to lie down.

Cloud was too frail to push back against the man. "Who are you? What do you want?" he asked in a small weak voice as he submitted and lay still.

"My name is Professor Hojo. And what I want is for you to behave and let me do my work. You will do considerable damage to my apparatus by flailing yourself around like that," Hojo scolded as he inspected the container holding Cloud, bending and peering, touching the edges lightly and smiling when he found everything okay. "Do you realise how delicate this machine is? It has taken me years to perfect. The subject, you, is placed within and then when it is secured and elevated, Mako beams are sent over and around the casket, allowing the entire injuries of the person contained inside to be treated at one and the same time. Ingenious, don't you agree?"

"I really don't give a fuck," Cloud replied, his slurred words betraying how tired he was.

"Maybe you don't give a hoot about my machine, but you should, for it kept you alive," Hojo retorted smugly. "That was quite a blow you took from the Arbittor. Any other man would have died from it. But not you. You're a stubborn one. And lucky too, that I pioneered this device and that you happened to be brought to me so I could test it. Who knows what sort of damage would have occurred to your brain and body otherwise. You could have been left in a vegetive state. But because of me and my new invention, that has been avoided. Alright, let's see about getting you settled more comfortably in a bed, shall we."

Under the watchful supervision of the professor, four lab technicians were called over, and between them they carefully lifted an unresisting Cloud from the container. Once he was free of it, Hojo fussed over the inside of the machine where his patient had lain, his attention now solely focused on that, while the others took Cloud to an empty bed and rested him down before leaving him there so they could attend to their own duties again.

Cloud had just enough energy to reach for the folded sheet at the bottom of the bed and pull it up to cover his groin, before closing his eyes and giving in to his tiredness, although he didn't really sleep, just drifted in and out of slumber moments. Occasionally he would flicker his eyes open because his ears would catch a sudden sound that startled him, like when one of the lab tecs dropped something metal on to the hard flooring causing a loud clanging. But once he had identified the sound and realised he wasn't in any danger, he would let his eyelids fall shut again.

"Sorry to waken you, beautiful boy, but it's time to take your blood pressure." Professor Hojo didn't give Cloud any time to argue. Grabbing at the boy's arm as he spoke, he secured a tight cloth around one of Cloud's biceps. Then he pressed a small button on a hand device he held, which started the pump that inflated the cloth.

Laying there resigned, Cloud let his mind begin to wonder where the general was. He had been sure he was going to wake up in the man's room, if not in his bed. Beaten, and abused. To have woken up here, in some sort of medical centre… it felt like an anti-climax, and he couldn't understand why.

He was jostled out of his disturbing musings by the main door to the room being pushed open, and a voice calling out loudly, "Yo, Doc, I brought Rude in for his check-up. Better make it quick, you know he hates the smell of this place."

"I doubt very highly that he can smell anything," Professor Hojo replied glibly to Reno as he removed the blood pressure pad from Cloud's arm. "Wait over there and I will come across shortly." Then, addressing his bed bound patient he said, "The result is perfect, as I expected. My chamber worked its miracle on you, though you are not quite ready to be given the all clear just yet. There is still some inner organ restorative work that needs to be attended to, before you can be discharged from my care."

Cloud wasn't really taking in what the professor was saying to him… his attention was fixated on the men who had come in; the ones who had been at Tifa's; the ones he had been trying to escape from. While the redhead seemed perfectly okay, Cloud noticed that the other man was sporting a large plaster across the bridge of his nose, and the dark shades he still wore did little to disguise the bruising and puffiness around his eyes.

Hojo noticed Cloud looking past him at the Turks who had entered, and he smiled, explaining quietly, "He got his nose broken." Then, pulling the thin sheet up higher around his patient's body, he added, "Apparently, Sephiroth does not take kindly to those who dare abuse something which belongs to him."

"I don't belong to him," Cloud retorted vehemently.

Quirking an eyebrow at the boy's outburst, Hojo replied with a chuckle, "I was talking about the Arbittor."

As the professor broke into mirthless laughter at his expense, Cloud felt his face flush. "Bastard," he muttered.

Not taking any notice of Cloud's expletive, Hojo simply went to the bottom of the bed and lifted up a hologram chart, where he proceeded to tap in the details of Cloud's condition. Then, just before he walked away he said quietly, "Rude was punished for his audacity at using the higher level on you without permission. But from what I've heard, it's your own fault, because your tough reputation preceded you, and he was taking no chances."

"Yo, Doc, sometime today?"

Casting Reno a scathing look, which challenged the young man to open his mouth again, Hojo turned back to Cloud and finished with, "Don't let that toughness of yours be your undoing. You might think you are indomitable, but I tell you now, you are not," he warned.

Cloud watched the professor walk away, and in his mind he rebelled against the man's words. _I am unbeatable… I have to be. Or else I'll die._

/\./\./\./\./\./\./\

Author's Note; for the guest to whom I could not private message, thank you very much for taking the time to read and review.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Two days later, and Cloud was able to pee without passing blood. "Good, good, good," Hojo said as he peered into the bottle containing the urine sample. "Your progress is encouraging. I think it is time for you to begin trying to walk for a few minutes each hour."

Cloud relished the news. He had become bored with simply lying in bed all day, but each time he had pushed the sheet away in an attempt to swing his legs over the side of his mattress, the professor or one of the others in the room had seen to it that his lower limbs were quickly tucked back in, telling him that he was not yet ready for such exertion.

Signalling now to one of the lab tecs to come forward and assist Cloud, Hojo continued to finish off the report findings on the hologram chart, and then he took the water specimen over to his table, where he intended conducting tests on it.

Wrapping one arm around Cloud and securing him under the armpit, the lab technician helped the boy to sit up and get his legs free, saying, "On the count of two… One. Two."

With a little push of his hips, Cloud stood up, though he clung tightly to the man holding him when he felt himself shake and wobble.

"Put a gown on him, for Gaia's sake," Hojo called out, looking to make sure his patient was in safe hands.

Turning Cloud to face the bed and brace himself with his arms, the lab tec left him holding on to the bed-sheets while he went to a closet to fetch the gown. The thin green cloth with white ties at the back didn't envelop much, but it was enough to give Cloud some dignity and he quite happily set about taking small nervous steps while he held on to the assistant. Within a few minutes, he felt confident enough to try going alone, though the lab technician stayed close beside him for a while, watching Cloud's every footstep like a hawk, his steadying hands ready to reach out and offer support if he saw the boy falter.

Eventually Hojo called a stop to the walking exercise and Cloud found himself back in his bed, and surprisingly tired out by his little exertion. As he rested on the mattress he brought each leg up and held it at the knee with one hand while he rubbed briskly at his calf muscles, feeling pleased with the effort he had made, but telling himself he would push harder to do better the next time.

And he did.

By the next morning, Hojo felt Cloud was strong enough to walk unaided to the bathroom by himself. "All your samples have proven clean, and you no longer shake like a new born deer so, go go go. And don't forget to wash your hands."

Shutting the lavatory door behind him, Cloud locked it and then leant back against it, closing his eyes and breathing deeply. It had been harder than he thought, that simple short walk from his bed to here, but he was just so glad he had made it without falling down, for he felt sure the professor would have had him under the supervision of the lab tec again, and that would have left Cloud feeling helpless instead of elated, as he did at the moment.

When he had regained his strength a little, Cloud toddled over to the toilet bowl and lowered the seat, sitting like a girl, needing to so he could gain the energy to walk back to his bed.

While Cloud was in the bathroom, Hojo found his work interrupted by the clicking sound of heavy boots upon the tiled floor. Knowing that his assistant's all wore soft soled shoes like himself, he looked up from the magnifier he had been peering into and his dark little eyes widened when he saw the elite General Sephiroth coming towards him. Hojo had been expecting a routine visit at some point from him, and so he turned from his work and faced the man in greeting.

"Where is the boy?" the silver haired man said as an introduction.

Hojo canted an eyebrow. He had expected a handshake, or at least to be asked politely how he was, but it appeared that Sephiroth wasn't here to inquire about his welfare, only the prisoner's. "The patient is currently in the bathroom," Hojo related, giving the relevant information as he subconsciously pushed at his glasses, easing them back up along the bridge of his nose.

"Alone?"

Just that one word held threat and malice, and Hojo knew he had to placate the man before the tension in the room got any frostier. "I can assure you that he is perfectly safe in there, and that no harm can come to him."

"I wasn't worried about him coming to harm," Sephiroth answered, his gaze turning towards the closed bathroom door. Then, turning back to face the professor, he added, "But if he escapes from me again, I cannot promise that no harm will come… to you."

Knowing he had nothing to fear, Hojo explained to Sephiroth that there was absolutely no way Cloud could get out of the bathroom unseen. "He has to come out through that door," he said. "We are over one hundred floors up, and it's a straight drop with nothing below to break his fall except the ground. There is also the fact that the room is entirely windowless, so unless he can crawl down the toilet pan, or squeeze through the plughole in the sink, he should make an appearance in a few moments, once nature has taken its course."

But Sephiroth wasn't prepared to wait.

"Please do not excite the boy!" Hojo called out as the general began to make his way purposefully towards the bathroom.

"I haven't even begun to excite him, yet," Sephiroth answered with a cruel smile on his face.

He had only taken a few steps when the door opened, and Cloud emerged, his face downward and fixed in concentration as he slowly put one foot in front of the other. Sephiroth walked forward and deliberately stood in the blonde's path.

Cloud sensed someone impeding his way, and with a small curse on his lips he raised his head to cuss out the lab tec, or professor. But the sight of the general standing there, impassively staring down at him, froze his words. Instantly Cloud felt his heartbeat go into overdrive, and his mind screamed at him to flee from the man, but he knew that there was nowhere to go… and that he couldn't run even if he wanted to. So he just lifted his chin higher, and stared back.

"Well, look what we have here," Sephiroth drawled slowly, pulling himself up to his full height. "Decided to come back for seconds, did you?" His arm lifted, and before Cloud could defend himself, Sephiroth struck him a blow across the face with the back of his hand. "Little slut… couldn't stay away," he sneered contemptuously, his green eyes narrowing dangerously as he took in the sight of the blond youth falling to the floor.

Hojo, who had been observing the pair, quickly interceded, running forward to stand protectively in front of Cloud, prepared to use his own body as a shield if needed. "Sephiroth! I really must insist that you let the boy rest."

"That would be, General Sephiroth, to you," the silver haired man countered.

"A minor slip of the tongue on my part, but let me remind you, _General_, that while you might be superior within the ranks of Shin-Ra, here inside my domain I make the rules, and I will not tolerate you assaulting those under my care. If it happens again I will not hesitate in reporting the matter to President Rufus, and perhaps suggesting to him that you yourself be treated here to see if we can't curb some of those violent tendencies within you."

"It won't happen again," Sephiroth promised, watching as the professor helped the boy to stand up. "At least… it won't happen again, in your domain."

Back on his feet, Cloud glared defiantly at the general, resisting the urge to rub at his bruised cheek. He wouldn't give the man the satisfaction of knowing that the slap had hurt. And he felt he had won a small victory when his tormenter turned and made to leave the room. However, the joy of his win was tarnished when Sephiroth paused, and then turned back and addressed the professor once more.

"Be sure to send him to me when he's fit enough to be broken again."

The general left without another word, but his parting comment had been enough to fill Cloud with dread.

"I have a feeling that I will be seeing a lot of you in the future, boy," Hojo said as he helped Cloud back on the bed. The professor didn't sound too dismayed at the prospect, instead it seemed to fill him with elation. "In fact, knowing that you will possibly be a frequent patient here inspires me to begin work on my next project, ready for your subsequent visit. I am working on a cream that will make bruises invisible. The pain and discomfort of any injury will still be felt, but the ugliness of discoloured skin won't be apparent. I think your general might be very pleased with the product."

"He's not my…" Cloud began.

"Oh, you can deny it as much as you want to, but I think we both know exactly what he really is to you," Hojo finished.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Cloud knew the time had come for him to leave the safely of the lab when he saw two armed Soldiers enter the room. He paled at their arrival, knowing why they were there and where he would be headed; straight into the hands of Sephiroth. And when the men came and stood either side of his bed, aiming their weapons at his chest, he thought about daring to challenge them to kill him, as he wondered if death would be more preferable over what awaited him. But before he got the chance to test them, the professor came across to the bedside to do a final check before the release notes were signed.

"I wouldn't, if I were you," Hojo said casually to Cloud, easily reading the boy's mind by the dour expression on his face. "No doubt those weapons are not set to kill. Most likely they will simply stun and immobilize you. Your general wants you alive, not dead, otherwise he wouldn't have gone to the trouble of personally bringing your near lifeless body to me for healing."

"I told you before, he's not my general," Cloud retorted with a snarl.

"And I think I told you before, young man, that we both know what he is to you. You can refute it verbally all you want, but you know the truth inside your head."

"You're wrong," Cloud hissed.

"Am I?" Hojo challenged. "Now, let's see… Blood pressure is normal. All internal organs are functioning perfectly fine once again. No headaches or double vision. I think you are fit to go," he said, signing the documents.

Not taking his eyes off Cloud, one of the guards addressed the scientist with a quizzical tone. "Professor, is he ready yet?"

"No, not quite, just one more thing," Hojo responded with a small chuckle, hurrying back over to his desk and retrieving something from within one of the drawers there. Going back to his patient he held up what he was holding, and took delight in the way the blond boy's eyes widened. "A little something the general had me make just for you," Hojo explained, as he held aloft a blue leather collar, decorated with small silver studs. "It's a very clever piece actually, for it has been inlaid with retractable spikes, which can be primed to make lying down particularly uncomfortable for you, and would make sleeping virtually impossible. Do you know how long it takes to drive a man insane by depriving him of sleep? Well, I'm sure Sephiroth doesn't wish to drive you insane, but he does wish for you to wear this item," he said as he leaned in towards Cloud's neck.

"He can put it on me himself then, if he likes to try!" Cloud shouted, kicking his feet to free his legs of the bed sheet, and pushing at Hojo's hands. But the guards, who had been expecting some kind of outburst from the prisoner at some point were too quick, and as one holstered his weapon to clamp the blonde's flailing arms, the other hit Cloud's head hard with the butt of his gun.

"Gentlemen! Gentlemen! Is there really a call for such brutal barbarism?" Hojo interjected.

"General Sephiroth told us to use whatever force was needed," the assaulting guard spat out

"I wouldn't go taking the general's order to use violence upon this prisoner too liberally," Hojo chided, pulling a clean handkerchief from his pocket and dabbing at the cut that had appeared above Cloud's eyebrow. "You didn't see what he did to the last person who injured this boy and put him in here. Let's just say that foolish man won't be breathing properly for a few more weeks yet, because I am still working on the titanium bridge for his nostrils."

Despite having been hit, and still being restrained, Cloud continued to resist the scientist's renewed attempt at collaring him. He twisted his head side to side, jerked his body forwards and backwards. He even tried biting the professor's fingers as the man's hands approached him, doing as much as he could to prevent the collar being attached.

"Boy, as you know, there are two ways to do this; the hard way, and the easy way," Hojo stated simplistically, as if he were talking to a child who was behaving like a brat. "Choose whichever you want, but both will result in the same outcome. The easy way relies on your cooperation and compliance, and will make the process much nicer for all parties. The hard way will no doubt see you traumatised and tranquilized, and will only be nice for those hurting you. So… which will it be, eh?"

As the professor's words sank in, Cloud slowly stopped his struggling. He lowered his gaze as he submitted, not willing to see the gloating in the eyes of the two guards. If he was only a little bit stronger he felt he would have been able to resist, but although the professor had done a great job in getting him fit and well again, Cloud knew he still wasn't back to his peak level of capability. It would involve many weeks of intense physical training to regain full strength, and Cloud was almost certain once he was back with the general, that was never going to happen.

"Don't look so upset at having to leave me," Hojo said teasingly, as he snapped the collar in place. "I'm sure we'll see each other again very soon. In fact, I'm positively certain of it. Now, allow him to stand up," he instructed the guards. "And be gentle with him; he's already damaged goods."

"The gown?" one of the guards said as Cloud stood up. "Shouldn't he take it off?"

"Oh spare him some modesty, can't you? It might be the last time he wears clothing for a while," Hojo retorted sharply. "I'm sure Sephiroth will decide whether or not his prisoner gets to keep it, but I'm not having a patient of mine leave here naked. And don't think to strip him on the way either, because I will be putting in a bill for the gown, and I'm sure the general will complain if it's not on the boy after being charged for it… and we all know what his behaviour is like towards people he has a grievance with, don't we? Because, he will have a grievance with you two, if I tell him his precious captive left this room clothed."

With a grunt, one of the guards pushed at Cloud roughly, indicating it was time to move. Cloud did so, walking to the doorway slowly, his mind trying to envision what lay ahead for him. And as his bare feet padded softly across the tiled surface of the floor, each step filled him with dread.

The door opened automatically with a slight swishing sound as they approached it. Hojo stood and watched the trio go, lifting an arm and giving a small wave of his hand. He genuinely worried about the boy, both for his mental wellbeing and his physical, because he knew what sort of man the general was. Silently watching as the prisoner and his guards rounded a corner and vanished out of sight, the professor issued a sigh, lowered his hand, and then he turned and went back into his lab.

Casting a glance back over his shoulder, and seeing they were no longer being observed, the guard who had hit Cloud with the gun now shoved him roughly against a wall, putting his weight up behind the blond while pinning him there. "Old Hoggy might have said not to take anything off you, but he didn't say anything about putting something on you," he said gruffly.

Cloud stilled, wondering what was going on, but knowing it was pointless trying to resist. He didn't think they were going to rape him, not here, not in full view of anyone passing, but that thought still wasn't enough to have him relaxing his muscles, which had tensed up as soon as the man had touched him. He didn't struggle as his arms were pulled behind and cuffed, just remained placid, giving them no reason to hurt him.

"Is that really necessary?" the other guard asked, watching.

"You've heard about what this kid is supposed to be able to do, haven't you? Well, I don't intend to let him break any of my bones," the one holding Cloud replied coldly.

"Yeah, and you heard what the doc said… basically to treat him with velvet gloves. He belongs to the general, and if we deliver him all knocked up, I think we'll suffer more than just broken bones," the other contended.

"I've only done this for security. I'm sure Sephiroth won't chastise me for that," the guard said, pulling Cloud away from the wall and propelling him forward. "Walk, bitch, and move fast, or I'll be forced to carry you over my shoulder."

Keeping silent, Cloud obeyed, though every nerve in his body screamed at him to turn around and head butt the man who was pushing him. But his logical side told him it would only result in a hollow and short lived victory; If Cloud had learned anything from his first incarceration within Shin-Ra's walls, it was that patience was the key to freedom.

Luckily the journey wasn't too long a one. Not many people passed the trio by, and those who did barely cast Cloud a second glance. He supposed they were used to seeing prisoners escorted through the halls wearing nothing else but medic gowns, but he still scowled at those who stopped to stare at him, not afraid to show open hostility towards the one's he knew wouldn't help him escape, no matter how much he might beg them to.

As they approached an elaborately carved door, Cloud felt a hand grip his elbow, and he stopped walking.

"Welcome to your new home," the mean guard sneered, addressing Cloud before lifting his arm to his mouth and speaking more respectfully into the communicator device on his wrist. "We just arrived, and with no trouble, Sir."

The decorated door in front of Cloud opened, and he felt his mouth go dry as his feet refused to move forwards. Only a soft push from the guard holding his arm motivated him into taking the steps required to enter Sephiroth's domain.

Inside, there was no sign of the general. Instead, Cloud found himself looking around an empty entrance hall, wondering if his jailer was in another section, having noticed other plainer doors which no doubt led to the living areas. He wondered if Sephiroth would appear at any moment through one them, but the man apparently wasn't there… a fact made plain when he was suddenly spun around to face the entry door, and received a sharp blow to the backs of his knees.

As Cloud sank to the floor the cruel guard ordered that he remained in the kneeling position until the general showed up. "Don't think to move an inch, boy. On your knees is how he wanted you, and on your knees is how we delivered you. If Sephiroth doesn't find you like this, kneeling before him when he comes in, I will find some way to make your life more of a living hell," the bully warned in a low menacing voice. Then, with a final push on Cloud's shoulders to make sure the boy understood he wasn't playing around, he turned and left.

The remaining guard paused after his friend exited, and said in a mild apologetic way as he removed the handcuffs binding Cloud, "You'll have to excuse him. He's been in the army too long. It's made him hard and bitter. He's seen things that would make a whore blush, and a psychopath cry. He missed his family growing up after being sent away on missions that lasted for years. His kids didn't even know him when he came home. He's lost so much of his humanity. He's become almost like a machine now, taking orders and carrying them out to the letter without question. I've not been here that long myself and yet already I can feel my benevolence slipping away day by day." The guard stopped talking, looking sheepish as he gave a weak smile. "I don't know why I'm telling you all this, but you seem like a good kid and, I know you don't owe us anything, but it really would be appreciated if you could comply with the general's orders and just remain like that until he arrives. But anyway, I guess it's your call. No hard feelings from me if you choose to move."

Cloud watched as the guard walked away, and after the door had closed he didn't understand why he remained on his knees. He knew that he could not escape; the doors would only open at Sephiroth's command. So he could only suppose that the guards little story had affected him, that he felt some sort of affinity for the man, and that his staying there in a bowed position had nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that he simply didn't want to piss off the tall silver haired general by disobeying a direct command… and suffering the consequences.

/\./\./\./\./\./\./\

Author's Note: Lordie, thank you so much for taking the time to review. I'm so pleased you are enjoying the story, and I hope you like the next chapter just as much.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

It felt like hours had passed, and Cloud's knees and toes were aching from his prolonged kneeling stance, his spine and shoulders drooping. Many times he had been tempted to rise up on his feet and pace around, to get the blood moving in his body, but he had resisted because he'd found his eyes drawn to the door each time the temptation to do so had arisen, and he'd somehow found the strength and courage to remain in his stoic pose. He argued with himself inside his mind, asking where was the courage in remaining bowed and reasoning that surely being stood upright when his tormentor came in through the door would be more courageous and brave; to which he'd argued back that, by pretending to be compliant, it would give him an edge over the man, and possibly an advantage for a successful surprise attack.

All thoughts of any kind were forgotten though, the moment the entrance door swished open just a few moments later, announcing the arrival of the general, and Cloud felt his stomach knot as he fought hard to keep his gaze lowered. He waited tensely for whatever reaction his presence was about to cause, expecting at the very least some form of verbal abuse. But Sephiroth hardly paused to look down at the boy kneeling so passively in his hallway. With a barely acknowledged nod, he simply continued walking, moving past the blond and entering into one of the rooms behind him.

Cloud frowned, twisting his upper body to stare at the closing door. He debated over what to do next. Did the arrogant bastard really expect him to remain like this for the rest of the night, on his knees, waiting to be allowed up? Cloud arched his back and rotated his shoulders, easing the tensed muscles and stretching them out. He stood up, bending his legs, rubbing at his knees, and flexing his toes. And then, because he was annoyed at having been ignored, Cloud disregarded the warning bells that were going off inside his head and he entered the same room as the general had done, walking in after him brazenly.

Sephiroth was in the act of pouring himself a drink, but now he paused and replaced the decanter, quirking an eyebrow at the boy's entrance. "What do you think you are doing?" he asked, taking a slow sip from his glass, his gaze locked on the youth standing there.

"The order was to remain out there kneeling until you arrived… You arrived," Cloud answered glibly, staring back defiantly.

"I think, during your absence, you have forgotten your place," Sephiroth said, his voice dangerously low, his green eyes narrowing slightly.

For all his bravado, Cloud felt his heart start to hammer in his chest. He could sense that his coming into the room had annoyed the general but, for whatever reason, he couldn't stop himself from pushing the man some more. He sat down in a chair.

"Don't go making yourself too much at home," Sephiroth warned, turning his back to the boy while he refilled his half empty glass. "You won't be staying long."

"What do you mean?" Cloud asked, thinking wildly for a moment that he was to be set free.

"I mean that, in a few minutes, someone will be coming here to collect you."

"Collect me? I don't understand. Where will they be taking me?"

Sephiroth faced the boy, a smug smile on his thin lips. He raised the glass to his mouth, taking his time to drink before replying. "Someone within Shin-Ra has earned a little respect from me. Lieutenant Giltz. As a reward, I have given you to him for the night. He will be taking you to his own rooms. What he does with you there is anyone's guess, but he has my permission to take full advantage of your body."

"You can't do that!" Cloud yelled, pushing at the arms of the seat he was in, standing up and glaring in anger at the general. "You can't give me away like some piece of unwanted baggage."

"Yes I can," Sephiroth answered sharply. "I can do whatever I like with you, because you chose to come back to me."

Cloud froze up for a second, his mind frantically denying what the general had just said. Then his mouth went into action. "You liar," he hissed. "You kidnapped me. I didn't come back without a fight. I was taken against my will," he argued, his voice rising, his anger becoming more apparent as he strove to make his captor understand how much he didn't want to be there.

"Like you fought hard against being taken," Sephiroth scoffed. "That was just a show for the girl. You knew exactly what you were doing, deliberately standing there day after day out on that rocky ledge overlooking the building site, knowing you would be seen, your presence reported. You also knew that I would hunt you down. And that was what gave you a thrill at night, wasn't it, wondering when I would come and fetch you home."

"This isn't my home!" Cloud protested.

"Whatever you choose to call it… home, prison, or even Hell… it's where you wanted to be, and where you belong." Sephiroth smiled, and it was a cold unpleasant smile. "I guessed you would come slinking back, sooner or later. Do you really think I hadn't told my men to be on the lookout for the presence of a lone blond male? Once you were seen, it didn't take a lot of brain power to reason that you'd be staying in the nearest town. You are so predictable, and naïve."

At that moment an alarm buzzed softly, alerting the general's attention to someone awaiting admittance to his quarters, and as he said, "Open", so Cloud took his chance at the man being distracted, and swung his fist.

"I see you were right about him being a playful one," the guest said jovially upon entering the room, watching as Sephiroth wrestled with the blond youth for a moment before pinning the boy's arms behind his back and raising them at an awkward level, which caused Cloud to cry out in pain. "He's not too happy at coming with me, eh?" Giltz remarked candidly. "Just as well that I brought an escort then. But I'm sure I'll manage to make him co-operate when we're alone. Are you sure you don't mind him being a bit bruised when he returns?"

"No, I don't mind," Sephiroth answered, holding tightly to Cloud, stopping him from any further attack. The punch that he'd thrown had almost connected. Almost. But Sephiroth had been waiting for such an assault since the boy had marched into the room. "Besides, I actually think bruises make him look prettier," he added.

"Okay then," Giltz said happily, indicating to his guards to remove Cloud from the general's hold. "I'll deliver him back to you in the morning."

"Enjoy," Sephiroth said, relinquishing his grip.

"Oh, I will," the other promised.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

As Zack removed the syringe from Cloud's arm, he stared down at the now quiet and still form of the naked blond youth, disliking the bruises that marked pale skin. Scrunching his nose up at the smell of sex that emulated from the boy, he said quietly, as if not to disturb the sleeper, "Giltz could at least have let him shower before bringing him back."

"I believe he did," Sephiroth replied, coming to stand next to the bed also, and gazing at the sedated figure lying so peacefully upon his mattress. "But then he got a little over exuberant on returning his prize here, and he took him one final time outside of my door."

"That is disgusting," Zack said disdainfully, moving from the bed and walking towards the bathroom.

Sephiroth simply quirked an eyebrow at the other's remark and replied as he followed him, "Giltz knew he would never be allowed to touch the boy again. He was simply making the most use of his temporary trophy."

"But did he have to hurt Cloud so much?" Zack queried as he began to fill a small bowl with warm water.

"Did he have to fight and resist so much?" Sephiroth countered sharply, adding in a softer tone, "You don't seem very happy to see the return of my pet, Zack."

"I had hoped never to see him again," Zack admitted honestly, remembering back to when Cloud had first escaped. Then, pushing that memory aside, he challenged the general again. "How do you know that he fought back? We all know what a bully and a bastard Glitz is. Even when the boys he takes are submissive and subservient, that man still takes pleasure in causing them pain."

"We both know that he would never submit freely, Zack. He was snarling at hearing he was being sent to Glitz, even as I opened my door to the man. But he has been brought back now, and no one but me will ever touch him again. He's learned his lesson. And if he hasn't…"

"And if he hasn't?" Zack asked, going back to the bed with the bowl of water and a sponge.

There was a pause, and then Sephiroth answered, "Let's just hope for his sake, that he has."

"Shouldn't he go see Hojo?" Zack inquired as he gently cleaned the unconscious boy.

"Why?" questioned Sephiroth. "He didn't see a doctor the first time he was captured, so why start giving him such luxuries now, just because he's returned?"

"But he's hurt!" Zack argued.

"To be honest, I don't like Hojo. I don't trust him either," Sephirith confided. "So I'd rather keep him away. He came in useful for saving the boy's life when that idiot Turk over-reacted, but for simple cuts and bruises… I think not."

"It's a pity you didn't keep him away from Glitz, then he wouldn't be in such a mess," Zack retorted, hardly able to contain the anger in his voice as he threw the dirtied sponge into the water.

"The boy wanted to be a whore, I showed him how whores should be treated," Sephiroth retaliated.

Zack looked at the general, annoyance on his face. "I don't know who got hurt the most from this little experience; Him… or you?"

Sephiroth didn't reply. He turned his back to his friend and went in to the outer room, sitting at his desk and picking up his pen, preparing to get on with his work.

"So you will leave him like this, as he is, to get better by himself?" Zack continued, returning the bowl and sponge to the bathroom.

"No, I intend to take care of him myself," Sephiroth answered with an exaggerated sigh, showing the other that he was now bored of this conversation.

"Oooh, then I'm sure he's in_ very_ safe hands."

"Don't be so bloody sardonic, Zack, it doesn't suit you," Sephiroth spat, as the man stood in the doorway and stared at him.

"How do you think Cloud will feel when he comes around, eh? What must have been going through his mind at what was happening to him in Glitz's room?" Zack pressed, crossing to the bed once more to make sure the boy was wrapped up warm.

"I don't know what went on in that room, and I don't want to know," Sephiroth replied, closing his eyes and pinching at the bridge of his nose with his free hand.

Noticing that small gesture, Zack knew well enough that he had pushed too hard, and that it was time for him to leave. "I'll be back tomorrow, to make sure you are keeping your word," he promised.

As the dark haired man left the room, Sephiroth, in a rare show of pique, threw his pen at the closing door.

/\./\./\./\./\./\./\

Author's Note to those I could not private message;

Lordie, glad I could make you happy with the last chapter. I hope this one keeps you just as entertained.

Guest, thank you for reviewing. About Sephiroth, and sharing... To say he is actually seething inside is an understatement. He is dealing with emotions caused by another that he has never felt before in his life. So now he has his pet back, and his pet had to be taught a lesson. He was trying to show flippancy towards the boy, an 'I don't care about you,' attitude. But I think this chapter shows that the general got wounded just as badly.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"Eat."

The blond turned his head sideways on the pillow, making sure the approaching spoon missed his mouth again.

"You can't keep on refusing food."

"Why can't I? Because you say so?"

"Don't try to resist me. We have been through this before. We both know I will find a way to make you eat, so why be so stubborn?"

"This time you don't have one of my comrades to use against me."

"Silly fool, I don't need another person in this situation, just the right motivation. Now, open up."

The face was turned away once more.

Losing patience, Sephiroth leaned over the boy lying on his bed and, after pinning Cloud's head still, he pinched the reluctant feeder's nostrils closed until he was forced to open his mouth to breathe. Then Sephiroth shoved the laden spoon forward, deposited the food, and used his hand to clamp the blonde's jaw shut until he swallowed. "There you see… the need for air is good motivation. I can do it this way all day if I have to," Sephiroth threatened, refilling the spoon. "Or you can simply comply."

Cloud closed his eyes for a moment. He knew it was useless to fight against the man while he was still so weak, and refusing food was just plain stupid, because the food would make him strong again. So he obediently opened his mouth.

As Sephiroth spoon-fed his prisoner he watched Cloud carefully, and noted how he kept his gaze averted, purposely not making eye contact. He had done this since waking up a few hours ago. Sephiroth wasn't overly worried by the behaviour, because he didn't particularly want to see the accusation that would be burning in the deep blue orbs. He had done what he had to do; the boy could just learn to deal with it, and get over it.

The bowl emptied, Cloud watched from beneath lowered lashes as the general stood up from the bed and walked across the bedroom floor to deposit the bowl upon a dresser top. As soon as Sephiroth turned back around, Cloud moved his head and stared instead at the single window, gazing at the freedom offered outside. He didn't want to look upon the man who had imprisoned him again, and worse, who had given him away to another who had abused him all night long while gagged and bound and utterly defenceless. Cloud could feel a burning anger deep within him, though he wasn't entirely sure what exactly was making him feel worse… the being imprisoned once more, or the feeling that the general no longer desired him. And it was the latter thought which was causing Cloud the most grief, because he couldn't understand why he should even care if he was desired or not by his tormentor.

"Are you going to make the rest of your life here with me as miserable as you've made the last few hours?" Sephiroth asked, returning to the bed and standing beside it, his arms folded as he stared down at the bowed blond head.

"I'm not going to be spending the rest of my life here with you," Cloud retorted without looking up. "I got away once before, I can do so again."

"Ah, but you didn't get away from me, did you, not in here." Sephiroth tapped a finger at Cloud's temple, and smirked when the boy jerked his head away as if he'd been stung. "You came back on your own accord didn't you, seeking me out, looking for me, watching for me. You couldn't stay away, could you?"

Cloud opened his mouth to deny it, but instead he lowered his face in shame and guilt at the truth of the general's words. Even though he had tried to deny it to himself, Cloud had to admit that as soon as he'd heard the great General Sephiroth was overseeing the erection of the new Shin-Ra power plant, he'd not been able to stay away because of the burning desire to seek revenge upon the man who had treated him so brutally before. He had wasted precious time in confirming that the general was actually there and concocting a plan of vengeance, when really he should have been riding away on his motorcycle to somewhere else many miles away. It would have been the coward's way out but also, it would have been the safest thing to do.

Sensing the boy's inner turmoil, Sephiroth decided to pounce. Reaching out a hand, he grabbed hold tightly of a fistful of soft spiky locks, yanking Cloud's head up and holding it still as he licked at one cheek. "You want my cock so bad, it's driving you insane with lust," he purred. "I know you've tried other lovers since leaving my side, but none of them have sated you like I do, have they? Not one of them has managed to send you spiralling into total submission, and given you the same pure sense of passion and pleasure in the way that I have. You tried to replace me… but you failed, didn't you? And now you've returned, expecting me to take you back, to satisfy and indulge you once again."

"You're insane," Cloud shot back angrily, pulling at the fingers that held him. Eating had given him a little strength, and he used it now to try and push his aggressor away. He succeeded in freeing his hair, and rolled over quickly in the bed, scrambling to his knees to try and get to the opposite side and away from the general's clutches. But Sephiroth was too quick and grabbed Cloud's hips, pulling him back and pinning him face first on his fours to the mattress. Cloud tried frantically to get away, trying even harder when he heard the sound of a zipper being lowered.

"You always did like it rough, didn't you boy. Well, is this rough enough for you?" Sephiroth asked as, in one swift move, he hoisted Cloud's ass up and positioned himself at the exposed hole. Using just some spit which he let dribble from his mouth, Sephiroth then pushed forward, forcing himself slowly inside without the aid of any proper lube, or foreplay.

Cloud's initial hiss of pain turned into cries of agony at the hurting of the practically dry penetration, made much worse when he felt something tear inside him. A trickle of warm blood slowly ebbed its way down his thighs and, as he grabbed on to the bedding beneath him, his fingers clutching and locking, he screamed out, "It hurts! It hurts!"

"Good," Sephiroth said smugly as he continuously swung forward, slamming his body hard against the boy's buttocks for deeper penetration. "I can't have you thinking I'm doing this for _your _pleasure."

Gritting his teeth and squeezing his eyes shut, Cloud had no other option but to endure the ordeal until finally he felt the man stiffen behind him, and his bowels were filled with semen. Only then was he finally able to move, as the general pulled free from him and walked out of the bedroom. Cloud rolled over onto his side, pulling his knees up as he hugged at a pillow, burying his face into the softness of it and letting it soak up his tears as he sobbed in total dejection.

/\./\./\./\./\./\./\

Author's Note; Lordie, as always, thank you for the review. I guess Sephiroth's feelings are a little like that. He got hurt, now he's hurting back, in his own indomitable way. I hope the end of this chapter satisfied you!


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

As promised, Zack returned to Sephiroth's quarters the next day. "How is Cloud?" he asked, expecting to be told that the blond was doing better. Instead he received a nonchalant shrug from the general, who appeared to be busy lacing up his knee high boots. "Seph?"

Finishing what he was doing first, Sephiroth then turned his attention towards the other man. "He is doing as well as can be expected, I suppose. I took him last night."

"You fucked him, in the condition he was in?" Zack gasped with exasperation. "Why? What in the name of Gaia possessed you to do that?"

The general canted his head and fixed Zack with an icy stare. "I do believe the boy is mine, to do with what I want, when I want," he answered impassively. Anything Zack might have said back in return was halted by a buzzer on the desk going off. "That will be Rufus, demanding my presence. I am late already," Sephiroth explained, heading towards the door. "Feel free to check on the boy in my absence," he added offhandedly.

Shaking his head at his departing friend, Zack hurried quickly to the bedroom, where he found Cloud curled up on the mattress, red eyed from weeping. "Hey hey there buddy," he said in a soft voice as he approached the bed.

The boy looked a mess. His face was distraught, and his spikey hair was even wilder looking than normal. He was rubbing at his arms, rocking slightly, and it seemed as if he was oblivious to Zack's presence. Zack felt his heart lurch at the sight of him, and he gently urged the boy to move, coaxing him and supporting him towards the bathroom.

"Let's get you in the shower, eh, to freshen you up. Nothing like a nice hot shower to start making the world seem a better place," Zack said, keeping his voice low and pleasing as he pushed the boy into place inside the cubicle. But as the water streamed down, Cloud just stood there, unmoving, so Zack stripped himself and entered the cubicle too, grabbing a cleaning cloth and some gel and working on getting the stoic boy clean, being extra careful when it came to Cloud's bruised and torn backside. "Sephiroth, you maniac," Zack hissed under his breath as he gently swabbed and patted the abused area.

Once he had been washed, Cloud seemed to regain some composure and he pushed at Zack's helping hands, insisting on washing his hair himself. Zack didn't argue, he simply stepped from the cubicle and rubbed himself down with a towel, leaving Cloud to finish the job while he redressed.

Turning off the water, Cloud too stepped from the shower, and thanked Zack as he held out a towel for him. Then he meekly followed the dark haired man back into the bedroom, though he bulked from going near the bed.

Seeing the way Cloud reacted, Zack marched to the bed and whipped off the soiled bedding, dragging it to the laundry shoot and depositing it down through the hatch. After he had remade the bed, he prompted the boy to get back in between the fresh linen, but Cloud shook his head, and wrapped his damp towel tighter around himself. Zack sighed. "You can't stay like that all day," he said, trying to keep his tone friendly. "Besides, what will Sephiroth say if he sees you are not in bed, where he left you?"

"I don't care what he says. I don't care anything about him. I hope he rots in Hell," Cloud all but shouted as his answer.

The boy's heated words took Zack a little by surprise, as Cloud had been so unresponsive and compliant up to now. He tried to pacify the blond. "Hey now, the general's not so bad. He…"

"He let another man use me!"

"Cloud, Sephiroth isn't a fool. He knows you gave yourself away while you were gone, so he gave you away when you came back. He was settling a score with you, showing you who you belong to, letting you know he wasn't happy with you whoring yourself out. He was treating you like the slut he thought you wanted to be," Zack answered, trying to calm the situation, hoping to explain how things were. "But I think he knows deep inside that he did wrong, that's why he tried to make things right last night."

"Make things right?" Cloud cried out angrily. "He didn't make things right… he raped me."

"He reclaimed you, you idiot," Zack retorted, unable to keep anger from his own voice. "Stop making yourself to be a victim here, Cloud. You knew damn well what you were doing, standing out there like some sort of a billboard saying, 'Come get me.' If you truly felt such hatred for him, you would have put thousands of miles between him knowing where he was. But you didn't. Come on, just admit it, you wanted to be captured and brought back here."

Zack's head flew back as Cloud punched him. There was a momentary pause, and then he was felled by the savage onslaught that the boy delivered. Rather than fight back, Zack did his best to simply defend himself, grappling and pulling his attacker down onto the floor with him, knowing that the blue eyed youth was just blowing off steam. But that didn't stop him from throwing back small punches of his own, to show that he wouldn't be beaten senseless. It was one thing for Cloud to use Zack as a punch bag to let go of some aggression, but no way was Zack going to allow the boy to beat on him without some show of resistance.

"Well, well, what do we have here? I leave my rooms for just a few minutes, and I come back to see two grown men fighting like bitches in heat, and I didn't even have to buy a ticket for the show."

The sardonic words of Sephiroth were like a bucketful of cold water for Zack and Cloud, who both instantly froze as soon as the general spoke. Zack gained composure first, standing up and offering a hand out to Cloud, who accepted it and was pulled to his feet, grabbing at the towel that had been lost in the fight and rewrapping it around his slim hips, his head automatically dipping so his gaze looked downwards.

"I know you better than to think you were trying to make advances to my little pet, Zack, so tell me then, what exactly prompted this display of violence?"

Zack glanced at Cloud for a moment, and then he headed into the general's sitting room, knowing Sephiroth would follow him. Once alone with the man, he rounded on him. "You could try being a bit kinder to that boy. He is so wound up he's going to snap."

"I thought by that little display, he already did," Sephiroth replied with a smirk.

"That was nothing," Zack answered back. "That was just him getting rid of some antagonism. But you've provoked him, Sephiroth, and you've pushed him, possibly too far this time. Cloud came back to you, so stop punishing him."

"I haven't even begun to punish him. If anything, I have been kindness itself towards him," Sephiroth said dryly.

Zack walked up to his friend, and brazenly poked the man in the chest as he told him, "Sort yourself out, or what you wanted most in the world will be lost to you once again, and maybe this time, for good."

And Sephiroth watched with a bemused look on his face, as his closest ally walked out of the room, leaving him to ponder on what had been said.

/\./\./\./\./\./\./\

Author's Note; Oreo, thank you for the review. I'm glad you have feelings for poor Cloud. He's going to need them. Lordie, I wonder how many times you read chapter 14, lol. Thank you also for reviewing.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

"Do I have to pick you up like a virginal bride and drag you to my bed?"

Sat upon the bedroom carpet, knees huddled up tight to his bare chest, Cloud pushed back closer to the wall behind him, deliberately ignoring the man's request that he stand up and go to him. The general had just come in from his day's work and he expected to be serviced and, as usual, Cloud wasn't going to do anything for his captor without a show of defiance first. He might end up beaten and bruised, sore and weary, but at least he could tell himself he had tried not to be compliant.

Sephiroth heaved an exaggerated sigh, suppressing a grin. Just the thought of the oncoming struggle excited him, and as he walked across the floor he felt himself growing hard, his cock eager though restricted within his tight leather pants. The boy would soon be taking care of that for him.

This had been the pattern of their relationship for the last few days. Kept naked and confined, Cloud would be offered the chance to submit willingly, and when he refused, Sephiroth would take great pleasure in bringing him down. Cloud always ended up beneath the general, being ridden roughly by him in victory. The first times had been no better than brutal rape, with Sephiroth purely sating his own desire, but on several of the last occasions he had made the effort to give pleasure too, enjoying the fact that he was creating a new kind of torture for the blond. Cloud's face made such a pretty show of inner anguish as he fought against his own body appreciating the touch of another's hand bringing him to climax. And Sephiroth couldn't get enough of it.

Today was no different.

Though Cloud fought, he soon found himself pinned upon the sheets of the general's large bed. His knees were nudged apart roughly, and his hips raised. He gripped hard at the pillow his elbows were resting on, determined not to cry out as he felt himself being penetrated. Within just a few moments he became adjusted to the thrusting cock inside of him, and Cloud found himself pushing back, encouraging his rapist, telling himself it was better to get the generals lust over and done with than to fight and inflame the man's passion even more.

As if sensing the boy's intention to hasten his release, and not wishing to be so acquiescent, Sephiroth decided to try a change of pace. Pulling free, he lay down beside the boy and, as he fisted his own cock and began to slowly pump it between his fingers, he used his other hand to beckon with, indicating where he expected the blonde's head to go.

"You've got no chance," Cloud hissed, still on his knees, still hoping to get this over and done with quickly.

"You _will_ suck it. And I know that there is no need to warn you of the penalty you will suffer if you try to bite me, because you know without being told that I would pull out each and every one of your teeth to ensure you never did so again… And you also know that I never make idle threats," Sephiroth said in a cautioning voice.

For a moment the two simply glared at one another, each trying to judge the other's thoughts, each trying to stare the other out. Dark green irises bored into deep blue ones, and the tension in the room was electric as both men tried to silently make the other one back down.

The blue eyes blinked first.

That was all the acquisition Sephiroth needed. Knowing he had won, he reached out and took Cloud by the hair, forcing the blond head downwards and taking delight in watching how the youth tried hard to keep his mouth away from the target. But the general wasn't going to give up, not until he had come deep inside the boy's throat.

Cloud twisted and turned his face side to side in an effort to avoid giving oral pleasure, but his actions only resulted in the smearing of precum over his mouth, making it easier for his aggressor to rub and push against the resisting lips. The powerful clutch the general had on Cloud's hair, and the punishing bruising grip of fingers on Cloud's lower jaw, slowly caused his mouth to widen, and he could only grunt in fury as the man's large organ slipped in and rubbed against his tongue. He was tempted, sorely tempted, to snap his teeth together and bring pain to Sephiroth, but he fought against this inclination, understanding that rash action would only result in him being the one suffering the most long lasting pain. So instead he simply went limp, refusing to either suck or lick at the cock that was waiting for attention.

When the boy stopped fighting, and seemingly accepted what Sephiroth was doing to him, the general smiled smugly, taking it as yet another victory. The fact that Cloud's tongue wasn't lapping at him mattered nothing to Sephiroth, because he was simply too high on the throes of his conquest to care. He had fucked the boy's ass, and now he was taking his mouth…

Coughing and spluttering, Cloud spat out the warm globs of semen, not caring that he was making a mess upon the bed sheets. He retched and gagged as he brutally wiped a forearm across his mouth, hoping to scrub the taste away, ignoring the soft mocking laughter coming from the general, who reclined back on the pillows, watching. Cloud lifted his head a little, his gaze burning with hatred, and met Sephiroth's gaze in return, which was gloating.

Thinking the man was sated, Cloud began to edge across the bed, intending to crawl down upon the floor, but his ordeal wasn't over yet. Sephiroth reached for him, grabbing and dragging him close to his side, turning him around to lie on his back. And then he reached for Cloud's groin, and for this Cloud put up no resistance. Despite his rape, his cock was hard and heavy, and his balls ached for release. It took only a few fast and furious pumps from the tightly fisted hand of the general before Cloud's own come spurted out like a mini sporadic fountain, and joined Sephiroth's in soiling the bed linen. Panting heavily, Cloud could only turn on his side to hide his shame, and he lay there quietly as he got his breath back, listening to the silver haired man as he talked.

"Did you honestly think that by running away from me, you could escape me? If so, you are even more stupid than you look," Sephiroth taunted, running a forefinger slowly up and down the boy's spine, smiling as Cloud tried to suppress the shivers his touch was causing. "I am here, in you, a part of you… a part you can never cut off or discard." He leaned towards the side of the boy's head, his mouth going up close to the exposed ear. "I will be with you, forever. So get used to it," he whispered.

Cloud shut his eyes. He wished it was as easy to shut his ears. He didn't want to hear what the general had to say. He thought for a second or two about putting his hands over his ears, but realised that would just be showing a sign of weakness, one his tormentor would pick up on and use against him. If Sephiroth knew that Cloud wanted him to be quiet, the bastard would just simply keep taking all night. And so he continued to lie there, gritting his teeth and resisting the urge to bury his head beneath the pillows.

Sephiroth idly fingered the collar around Cloud's neck. It looked good on the boy. Perhaps it would look even better with a dainty chain leash attached, he thought. Sephiroth felt himself stiffen again as his imagination dreamt up an image of the blond walking on all fours behind him, being led like a dog, with his sashaying ass on display.

The vision proved to be a very erotic one for Sephiroth, and Cloud groaned lowly in discomfort as the general mounted him once more.

/\./\./\./\./\./\./\

Author's Note; Guest, thank you for taking the time to review. I'm really glad you are enjoying the story so far, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter just as much.

May I also take this opportunity to wish everyone a very happy and safe New Year.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

A soft beeping sound alerted the general to the fact that there was someone outside in the corridor, waiting to be allowed entry. He kept his stare fixed on his computer screen as his fingers deftly pressed a certain sequence on his keyboard, and his tone was not a pleasant one when the image of his visitor flickered in to life. "Rufus…"

Kneeling upon the floor, Cloud's interest perked up at the name being uttered. He knew who Rufus was, but he wondered what the man would be doing, coming here. _Perhaps I'm finally to be freed,_ he dared to hope, clasping his hands in front of his naked groin in an act of modesty as the inner door opened to admit the fair headed leader of Shin-Ra.

Noticing that Sephiroth wasn't going to stand up and greet him, and not really expecting him to either, Rufus casually walked a few steps forward and spoke in greeting himself as he sat down in a comfortable seat opposite the general. "Your absence has been brought to my attention. What have been doing, locked away in here the last few days?" he inquired.

"Him."

Rufus turned to look at the unclothed youth who was bowed quietly at Sephiroth's feet. His gaze travelled over the pale white skin, his eyes lingering on the slim interlocking fingers that hid the boy's genitals from view. Rufus would have liked to order him to unclench his hands, so that he could look upon what was hidden from view, but he wasn't here for pleasure. "Ah, I heard your puppy had returned to you."

Sephiroth pushed his chair back away from his desk, and one eyebrow quirked upwards as he replied with deceptive smoothness, "So, the occasion of your momentous visit to my quarters was to simply ogle my property?"

"Oh calm down," Rufus rebuked, not affected at all by the other man's lack of manners towards him. "I came because there is something I need you for. It seems the peasants in the local town are revolting, and I want to send in a small troop of men, overseen by you, to quell the unrest before it gets out of hand."

Standing, Sephiroth showed a play of ownership over the submissive blond by running his fingers gently through the tousled spikes as he spoke to his superior. "He comes with me," he said, pulling a little rougher on the hair as he felt Cloud's head suddenly lift to look up at him.

"There's no need for him to go," Rufus replied, watching as the general left the boy alone to go and retrieve his sword. "You'll only be gone a few hours. I just want Shin-Ra's presence to be felt. There are rumours filtering back to me that an attack is imminent upon the power plant. Apparently we are being blamed for several of their men going missing, reportedly being strong armed into enlisting to our establishment. Damn lowlifes!" he spat, slapping his palms down onto the arms of the seat, pushing himself to his feet and pacing the floor. "Don't they realise that the work we do here, benefits everyone?"

"Everyone?" Sephiroth questioned, his tone mocking.

Rufus sighed. He wasn't going to get into a debate with Sephiroth over the pros and cons of what they did here. The man loved to argue with him, and would insist for hours that black was white, or white was black, if he knew it would piss him off. "Look, your prisoner can stay with Zack while you're gone. I'll call for him to come and collect the boy myself, ok? So you can rest assured that he'll be perfectly safe… and unmolested."

Even though Sephiroth knew the last part of Rufus' statement was made in jest, he still placed a hand upon the hilt of Masamune, and felt contentment when he saw the Shin-Ra leader step back a little. "Very well, as it is for only a few hours, and I have your word that he will be safe, I will go select and prep the men that are coming with me."

Smiling his thanks, Rufus made for the door, stopping as he got there and turning around. "By the way… Hojo asked after him."

A smirk flitted across Sephiroth's face. "Ah, and so the real reason for your visit emerges," he said, moving towards the doorway also. "You could have just paged me to come to you for details of the mission, but you didn't. So, who is the puppy now, eh? Little Rufus, doing parlour tricks for his big scientist master?" His smirk faded. "What does that old bastard want?" he snapped.

"You know, you really do have to learn anger management," Rufus declared with a small shake of his head. "How the hell does the boy cope with you?"

"How he copes is none of your business," Sephiroth retorted. Then, turning his attention to Cloud, he ordered him to don a pair of shorts ready for the walk to Zack's room.

"Covering up his, assets, eh? Ass… Get it? Although, I suppose you do!" Rufus laughed as Cloud scampered off quickly to dress, while Sephiroth pushed past and strode purposefully out into the corridor. "Oh come on, it was just a joke," Rufus called after him, watching as the man moved out of sight, and pleased that his provocation against him had worked. The general could be so easy to manipulate at times. Lifting an arm, he pressed a dial on his talk-watch and, after a few seconds, he said "The boy will be with you in five."


End file.
